Sins of the Divine
by AwakeAndAliveSpartan
Summary: The Diviner affects people in different ways, it may kill them, accept them, or change them. But when the Diviner affects Ward, a dark monster is unleashed and he'll have to learn to control it if he wishes to save the team from Whitehall and the Doctor at the Inhuman city of Attilan. (Spoilers for S2.)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One (City of Lost Souls)**

**(Approximately Two Weeks After the Events of 2X08.) **

"What is that?" Skye asked, looking at a diagram of some kind of structure that Coulson had pulled up as a hologram in his office.

"It's the city I've been searching for since the drawings revealed its layout." Coulson said, motioning towards the hologram. "We've found it. Well, more like the ruins of it anyways."

Skye raised an eyebrow, "It's on this planet?" she asked. "I thought it was alien. Where is it?"

"A small, previously unmapped island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean." Coulson said. "The diagram that the drawings revealed had coordinates hidden in them. Took a while, but eventually saw them. At first they looked like random numbers, but Fitz suggested that they could be coordinates. Plugged them in and it gave us this exact location. Smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean." he explained.

"So if it's really in the middle of the freaking ocean, then how the hell do we get to it?" Skye asked. "Do we just fly there on the Bus?"

"Did you think we were going to swim?" Coulson asked sarcastically. "Of course we're taking the Bus."

"I didn't need that sarcastic reply." Skye grumbled.

"Your question was stupid." Coulson said. "Anyways, yes, we do go on the Bus. But remember, Hydra is looking for the city as well. And there's no telling if they know the location of it or not. So there's not telling to what could be waiting for us at the ruins."

"How do you know that they're ruins if it's 'previously unmapped'?" Skye asked.

"I have my ways of getting a view of the island." Coulson said. "I have connections."

Skye shook her head, "Never mind. But aren't the ruins supposively alien?" she asked. "There could be hidden alien tech and weaponry lying in the rubble. Impossible things could be there. Why is there an alien city on Earth anyways?"

"I don't know, but we really need to be cautious investigating the ruins." Coulson responded. "There's no telling what on Earth could be lying there in waiting. Be vigilant."

* * *

><p>(Elsewhere)<p>

The Doctor smiled as a map of abandoned ruins shone on the Hydra screen. "Yes, yes." he muttered.

Whitehall glanced at the screen as well, "So, I'm assuming that this is the city that the Diviner is the key for." he said. "The alien city."

"Yes, this is the Diviner's city." the Doctor replied. "Well, more or less. It's not exactly the key to the city as it is the key for a structure inside of a fallen temple in the city. Whoever the Diviner deems worthy can go inside the temple, others are kept out. The structure 'reactivates' the city." he explained.

"What is the city called?" Whitehall asked.

"Attilian, the Earthen city of the Kree and Inhumans." he replied.

Ward looked over to the Doctor's crazed gaze, "Inhumans?" he asked, frowning.

'Those with Kree blood running through their veins." the Doctor responded. "Basically part-human, part-Kree. Those with Kree blood are the only ones that the Diviner allows into the Temple of Attilian." He looked to Whitehall, "But sometimes it's not just by their blood." he continued. "The Diviner tests how worthy, just how strong their blood is."

Whitehall gave a smug smile, "Good thing not all of me is human." he said.

Ward frowned, "Wait, what?" he asked.

"That isn't a concern for the likes of you." Whitehall stated. "You are merely a rat in the ranks of Hydra. A rat that has valuable information about the enemy. Information that will help Hydra's cause."

Ward flinched and clenched his teeth. He wanted to kill the man, but Whitehall was too useful for his own plans. He only needed to hold out a little longer. Whitehall didn't know it, but Hydra's leadership would start to crumble with him. Ward had his own agenda.

Whitehall continued, now looking back to the Doctor, "So is everything ready to go within the next couple of days?" he asked. "The Diviner?"

The Doctor nodded, "It should be. And it's our only way into getting into the Temple of Attilan. If the Diviner has not, well, proved your 'worthiness' you cannot go in."

"So SHIELD cannot get in. They themselves do not have the blood." Whitehall stated. "They don't have the bloodline to get in."

The Doctor smiled slightly, "Not all of them." he said. "Possibly one or two of them could get in."

"And what will you gain from this, Doctor?" Whitehall asked. "Why are you joining along with Hydra with this?"

"There's, uh, something I want to find. Something that was taken from me long ago." the Doctor replied. "And hopefully, it should be there by the time we get there.

"As long as Hydra doesn't find a need for whatever it is you're looking for, then it's all yours." Whitehall replied.

He nodded, "I'm sure Hydra won't find a need it." He glanced at Ward and mumbled to himself, "Not everyone."

Ward frowned, sensing that the Doctor knew one of the reasons to why Ward was really here. Skye, to see why the Doctor was pursuing her so endlessly and maybe give her the chance to finally see him. And perhaps the fact that he would eventually be the one to take down Whitehall and deliver him to Coulson like he did with Bakshi. But no one had to know any of that just yet.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's<strong>_** Note: **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Trying another fic to go along with 'Vigilance of the Soul'. And hopefully this one will work better. Don't worry, the real beginning arc of the story will take place in the next chapter, this was an introductory chapter to show what Hydra and SHIELD were doing. (Remember, Ward's with Hydra for some God forsaken reason since the end of 2X08.) Hope you enjoy! Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or reivew! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	2. Chapter 2 (The Darkness of the Chosen)

**Chapter Two (The Darkness of the Chosen)**

(The Playground, A Day Later.)

Coulson looked out over his team, who all stood in the meeting room of the base, all except Triplett. "There will only be a few agents going on this mission, which takes place in two days. I just wanted to go ahead and brief you all on it." he said. The agents going are me, Skye, May, Hunter, and Morse." He turned to look at Fitzsimmons and Mack, "You three will stay here and run operations and watch over Triplett since he's still recovering from last week. You'll all will watch over specs from the island that will be relayed through the Bus' systems to here. You'll then report anything that seems strange."

Fitzsimmons and Mack nodded in response.

"Will Hydra be involved with this?" Hunter asked. "I don't want to be fighting Hydra."

"You'll have to be prepared for anything, Hunter." Coulson said. "This is an unknown, most likely alien, island. And Hydra is after it as well. So there's no telling if they're going to be there when we get there. Knowing how they work, they'll be there."

"And if it is alien, there's no telling what crap could possibly be waiting there." Skye said. "There could be aliens there for all we know."

"Great." Hunter mumbled. Bobbi elbowed him in the side. "OW!" Hunter exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Stop complaining." she responded.

"Fine."

Coulson and May both rolled their eyes, "Anyways, we do not know what's going to be there when we get there." Coulson said. "We have to be vigilant when we get there. Watch your backs, there's no telling of what we could possibly run in to."

* * *

><p>(Hydra Base, Elsewhere, Same Time)<p>

The Doctor stood over the Diviner, closing it in its case, "You're the key to the Temple of Attilian, the key to restoring the city." he murmured. "And my daughter as well."

Ward came into the room, "Whitehall wants you." he said, walking over to where the Doctor was standing.

The Doctor smiled grimly, "Fine. Watch over the Diviner. Make sure that no one, I mean no one touches it. You know what Whitehall would do if he knew that some random guy touched it. He's picky about it." he said. "He doesn't want anyone unwanted touching it. And the Diviner knows who's unwanted."

Ward clenched his jaw, "Fine." he muttered. He held his breath, not much longer. Whitehall would be delivered to Coulson sooner or later, dead or alive. And maybe, Skye could finally see her father.

But Ward was now starting to doubt that decision of leading the Doctor to Skye. He had personally seen how crazy and unstable the Doctor really was. It seemed like he would stop at nothing to get his daughter back, and Ward feared that that would mean death for someone. He just didn't know who.

The Doctor walked out of the room.

The three men had their different reasons for being here. Whitehall, power and strength for Hydra. The Doctor, to find his daughter who had apparently been 'taken' from him. And that daughter was Skye.

And for Ward, he wasn't sure why he was here. To help take down Hydra? To possibly get back with the team somehow? To get back with Skye? He didn't know. Hopefully he would find the reason why sooner or later.

Just then, a strange feeling overtook the room. Ward frowned, feeling it in his bones. He turned around, seeing the Diviner's suitcase on the small room's table. Was this feeling… Coming from it?

It seemed to be pulling him towards it, calling out for him. He reached for the case, remembering the Doctor's warning. But Ward ignored them and opened the case anyways.

Ward almost stepped back, seeing that the Diviner, the alien construct, was glowing a faint orange color and was vibrating just a hair. Was it supposed to be doing that? He didn't know. But he started to reach for it…

"Don't touch it!" the Doctor roared, bursting into the room along with Whitehall. "Do not touch it!"

But Ward didn't hear the man's cries, he placed his hand on the cold, glowing, vibrating, alien metal. It started to glow a bright orange, alien symbols starting to form on its surface.

Ward picked it up and stared at the construct in his hand, he still didn't acknowledge the Doctor and Whitehall's presence in the room. They both stood back in awe. This was something new.

And then there was the pain. Pain so intense shot through Ward's body, causing him to fall to the ground. He tried to let go of the Diviner, be he couldn't. It was stuck to his hand. Then his body started to seize.

The Doctor started towards to help him, but Whitehall held him back, "No." he said. "Watch, let's see what happens. This is new."

"New?!" the Doctor roared. "This is bad! You do not understand what exactly is going on here!"

"Then what is going on?" Whitehall asked, glancing at the seizing Ward, who still had the glowing Diviner in his hand.

"It's rare, but the Diviner is trying to assimilate Kree DNA into his own DNA." the Doctor replied fiercely. "And since it's doing this, this possibly means he's a descendant, but the bloodline must be too weak. The Diviner is trying a different way.

"What?"

"It's creating an Inhuman! Those who built Attilian! That is exactly what is happening!" the Doctor roared.

"Really?" Whitehall asked with a slight smile.  
>"You're crazy! This is bad! An Inhuman is too powerful! If the process is done correctly, we'll have a monster on our hands!"<p>

"Then we'll see."

Ward heard their voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying, the pain was too great. It felt as though his insides were being torn apart, smashed, and melted with the strongest acid all at the same time. It was pure agony. And the Diviner still wouldn't release its hold.

Ward saw the Doctor and Whitehall start to walk over towards him, right before his vision lapsed into darkness. And this darkness would be the most uneasy darkness he would ever experience.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> _Don't own AoS or the Inhumans, Marvel does. There you go, so that happened. Sorry if the Inhuman context might be a little wrong, don't know that much about them. Please tell me if there's something about them I should address in a later chapter, did the best I could. Had to look up some info while writing this. So sorry if it's not all completely right, probably will change stuff for this story. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	3. Chapter 3 (Malice of a Darkened Heart)

**Chapter Three (Malice of the Blackened Heart)**

Ward awoke an unknown amount of time later in a small Hydra sleeping quarters room. He jerked up when he realized exactly where he was.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Ward looked over to his right and saw the Doctor standing in the corner. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"You're lucky that you're even alive." the Doctor responded, not giving a reason to why he was in the room. "The Diviner doesn't let everyone live."

"What?" Ward asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You touched the construct even after I told you not to." the Doctor said. "But don't worry, I saw what happened. You're a special case. Not only did the Diviner let you live, I believe that it changed you as well."

Ward shot off the bed, stepping in front of the Doctor, "What the hell do you mean that it 'changed' me?" he growled. "What. Does. That. Mean."

"It really doesn't matter right,"

"WHAT DID IT DO TO ME?!" Ward yelled, stepping closer to the man.

The Doctor frowned, taking a step back away from the man. Looking to the floor, he noticed an oil-like black mass inching its way towards him and Ward from several directions at once. But he remained silent, not saying a word. He wanted to see what was going on.  
>"WHAT DID IT DO?!" Ward screamed again, taking another step towards the Doctor.<p>

The oil-like mass was now starting to speed up, heading directly towards the Doctor's feet. The Doctor stepped back, seeing that Ward's eyes had turned a bright, glowing, blood-red color. He now said something, "Ward, stop this." he said quietly. "Calm down."

"STOP WHAT?!" Ward roared, the black mass shooting from the ground and wrapping around the Doctor's body, leaving all but his head free.

The Doctor choked out as whatever the hell it was wrapped around him, forcing the air out of him. "Ward, please. There's something wrong with you. Let me help you." he choked.

"Help?!" Ward screamed. "I don't need your help!" The tendrils of darkness tightened around the Doctor's body.

"Yes, you do. You do not understand what has happened to you." the Doctor said quietly. "Let me explain, please."

He saw Ward start to relax, the darkness starting to release him from its grip. As the darkness melted away from him, the Doctor fell to the ground, coughing for air.

"Then what has happened to me?" Ward growled.

The Doctor got to his feet. "Terragenesis, I believe." he said.

"Terra_what_?" Ward growled.

"Inhuman Terragenesis." he repeated. "The releasing of hidden powers, basically, in an Inhuman. You must be a descendant, that's probably why the Diviner 'called out' to you. It sensed your Inhuman bloodline."

"Then what is an Inhuman exactly?" Ward asked, his eyes back to their normal color.

"Long ago, the Kree race performed experiments on humans, mixing Kree DNA with human DNA. This created the Inhuman race, far superior to the human race, stronger and faster. Each with a power of their own.

The Inhumans eventually made their way to Earth, building the city of Attilan." he continued. "And eventually furthering the bloodline. You must be one of the descendants. Your power was 'locked' and the Terragenesis 'unlocked' it. And sometimes, the power depends on who you are."

"What does that mean?" Ward growled.

"From what I saw, it looked like you have a physical control over darkness, the very shadows itself." the Doctor explained. "Meaning that you are a dark man, riddled with sin and death. That darkness is manifesting itself as your Inhumanity."

Ward grimaced, feeling rage starting to build up. Darkness started to swirl around him.

"You are a sinful man." the Doctor teased. "How do you possibly hope to wash away them all just by simply delivering Whitehall to Coulson? How?" he asked.

Ward snarled, "How the hell do you know about that?!" he growled.

The Doctor sneered, "I know way more than your pathetic mind could possibly begin to understand. I know your motives for being here. I know that you're planning on keeping me from my daughter."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry to tell you, _boy, _but that's not going to happen. You cannot keep me from her."

And with that, Ward felt himself just _snap_. The darkness consuming him with a scream that would scare the most hardened of men.

The Doctor scampered back as a black, red-eyed figure took the place of Ward and shot toward him with blinding speed. He fell over a chair and crashed to the ground.

He held his arms up just as something as sharp as knives sliced through his left eye. He screamed out.

The monster that had taken the place of Ward growled a distorted, clearly inhuman growl, standing above the fallen Doctor, who was pressing a hand on his ruined, bleeding eye.

Ward's mind was a swirl of confusion and darkness. It was he was in control, but at the same time he wasn't. Dark thoughts bombarded his searing mind.

'_Kill him.'_

'_Stop! What are you doing?!'_

'_This isn't you!'_

'_You need him so you can deliver Whitehall!'_

'_Why are you just standing there?! Rip him to shreds!'_

'_KILL HIM!'_

'_RIP HIM APART!'_

Through the swirl of confusion and mind-numbing agony, there was shouting, echoing in the small room. Ward, or whoever he was at this point turned, seeing Whitehall along with two Hydra soldiers, all with guns, through his distorted, red-tinted vision.

There was a loud popping sound, then there was darkness. Calm. Quiet. Peace. And Ward fell to the ground, the shadows melting away from his body and slithering back into the darkness.

Whitehall turned to the two soldiers and pointed to the unconscious Ward, "Get him. Take him to a cell and throw him in it." he ordered. He looked at the Doctor, who was still clutching his ruined eye, "Get up, if you're still going to Attilan. There will be an agent who will patch your eye up."

The Doctor nodded and got to his feet, "But what about him, I thought he was our key to Coulson."

"Not anymore. He's a monster, you saw him. Bringing him to Attilan is just a huge risk to us. He'll stay here, and he'll be here when we get back. And then you can see what the Diviner really did to him."

The Doctor muttered to himself. "I already know what happened to him. Telling you would just make you want to cut him wide open, like you did with her."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> _I don't own AoS or the Inhumans, Marvel does. Thanks to Marvel-Tolkien Fangirl for helping correct some things, not the greatest buff with the Inhumans. So there you go, Ward's powers manifest themselves and they're rather dark. (If you're trying to imagine them, think Pride's control over shadow in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. And for the what I'm calling 'shadow form', think Greed's carbon armor 'Ultimate Shield' in a way as well.) And then Whitehall locks him up, but Ward will always find a way out... Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	4. Chapter 4 (The Fallen Soul)

**Chapter Four (The Fallen Soul)**

(Two Days Later)

The SHIELD Bus flew over the open expanse of the Pacific Ocean, headed towards the supposed coordinates of Attilan. Coulson stood at the Holo table, looking at Skye, Hunter, and Bobbi. May was in the cockpit, piloting the plane.

"We're almost there." Coulson said. "So get ready and gear up." He sighed, looking at the three agents, "And there's no telling, again, to what is going to be there when we land. So, again, be careful."

He continued, "We'll be splitting up. Hunter and Morse, you two will be together, don't mess this up. May will be with me and Skye. If you find anything, let us know."

"Great." Hunter muttered.

Bobbi sighed, pretending like she didn't hear Hunter's remark.

"So, what's 'anything'?" Skye asked.

"Weird tech, aliens, anything related to the drawings. Hydra." Coulson replied.

"So watch out for aliens and Hydra. Got it." Hunter stated.

"Pretty much, I guess." Skye said.

"But aliens," Hunter started to say.

"We don't know that for sure." Bobbi cut in. "But what Coulson is saying is that we need to watch our backs for anything. Could be an alien. Could be Hydra."

Coulson nodded, "She's right. That's what I'm trying to say, if Hunter would stop making sarcastic remarks about everything."

"Sorry." Hunter mumbled, crossing his arms. "Just saying what you were saying."

"No you weren't." Skye said. "You were complaining pretty much."

"I was not!"

"You were!" Bobbi chimed in.

"Drop it, all of you!" Coulson yelled.

The three agents stopped and looked back at Coulson.

"Now, if you are all done. Like I was saying, we don't know what's there. It's an ancient city that's supposively alien. And we don't know who Hydra has there if they are already there." Coulson continued. "It could be anyone."

* * *

><p>(The Previous Day, Elsewhere.)<p>

Ward awoke with a jolt, finding himself in what seemed to be an old, stone-cold cell. He jumped up, running over to the cell's rust-covered bars. "Hey!" he screamed. "What the hell is this?!" He slammed his fist against the dirty, brown bars when silence was his only response.

Whitehall had him locked in here, and Whitehall was probably God knows where by now.

Ward slammed his fist into the bars again. Intense vertigo overtook his body, causing him to wobble and crash to the ground. His vision blurred as he struggled to get up. Burning pain filled his lungs as he gave up, crawling over to the moist, cold wall and resting against it.

He watched through blurred eyes as shadows started to inch their way towards his weakened body. Holding out a shaky hand, Ward watched as the darkness crawled its way up his arm, wrapping around it like tendrils of a vine, stopping at the palm of his hand.

So he could really the very entity of darkness himself? He made him a whole new level of dangerous. He was a monster, a beast. He was Inhuman.

He moved his hand around, trying to get the shadows to move. And to his surprise, they responded. It wasn't like he thought, the movements were slow, kind of ragged. But he figured the control would be better in time.

But why did Whitehall lock him in this cell anyways? He thought that the man needed him to get to Coulson. Guess not anymore. Whitehall would find Coulson, and would most likely kill him and the team. Ward wanted to be the one to deliver the bastard to Coulson and to protect the team if needed, then slip back into the shadows when everything was all said and done. They could all possibly die.

Ward felt the rage start to build up again in his chest and in his muddled mind.

If Whitehall treated him like a monster, then so be it. Ward would be a monster. Whitehall would get what was coming to his sorry ass.

Ward closed his eyes, letting the darkness consume him once again. He melted along into the shadows, headed for escape.

Whitehall had caged a monster and it would get its revenge.

But if the team was there, Ward couldn't let them see him like this. As this monster. He would find a way to hide from them.

* * *

><p>(The Next Day, Elsewhere over the Pacific)<p>

"So, what's going to happen to him now?" the Doctor asked, a bandage over his ruined eye.

"He'll be kept in confinement and eventually experimented on to see what makes him tick." Whitehall replied. "We didn't need him anyways. I knew what he was going to do to me once we got to the ruins of Attilan."

The Doctor frowned, "What?" he asked.

"Found out a few days ago that he took down a small Hydra safehouse, taking down the agents and capturing one of my subordinates, Sunil Bakshi, leaving him to Coulson.

Figured that was his true reason for being here, do to the same thing to me. To capture me and deliver me nicely to Coulson. I was going to reprimand him, but the Diviner incident got in the way. Didn't think that any of that would happen." Whitehall explained.

"Didn't think that a man like him would have the blood of an Inhuman." the Doctor said, scratching at his bandage.

Whitehall raised an eyebrow, "You seem to know a whole lot about the Inhumans." he commented. "Why?"

The Doctor smiled a bit, "It's because I used to perform experiments, trying to create them." he said. "I'm Kree."

"I thought that they were blue."

"The other race is, I'm not. I'm a Pink. The 'impure' blood of the Kree. The Kree that intermarried with other races. We look more like humans."

"Okay?"

"I'll tell you more later, it looks like we're here." the Doctor said.

They looked to see a massive island outside of the jet's window, peppered with the ruins of a once great city. A city that would eventually be made anew.

Whitehall smiled, "Indeed we are."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS or the Inhumans, Marvel does. There you go, not much of a chapter I suppose. Kind of boring. But don't worry, big things are coming in the next chapter. Might keep this story short, since I don't know what else to write past saving the team from Whitehall and the Doctor. Unless Ward looses control and its up to the team to bring him back? Perhaps? I don't know. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	5. Chapter 5 (The Blood of the Wicked)

**Chapter Five (The Blood of the Wicked)**

The SHIELD Bus landed on an open space near the ruins of Attilan, carefully and slowly. Once the Bus landed, the cargo ramp lowered and the five agents came out, all armed.

Hunter looked around, "So this is it?" he asked. "Doesn't seem like much, other than a bunch of fallen buildings."

"That's because it's probably centuries old." Skye said. "Anything falls after several centuries of standing. It's old, there's probably not anyone or anything left here."

"We don't know that." Coulson added. "No telling to what's hiding underneath the rubble. Could be anything."

"Could be Hydra." Hunter grumbled.

"That too." May said.

"Well that's bloody grand."

Bobbi only sighed.

"Remember what I said, split up into your teams." Coulson stated. "Morse and Hunter, me, Skye, and May. Let us know if you see anything out of the ordinary of if anything strange happens."

Hunter nodded slightly and he and Bobbi walked off into the ruins.

Coulson looked to May and Skye, "Come on, we'll go the other way. It covers more ground that way."

They nodded and started their way.

They were walking for at least ten minutes when sporadic gunfire stopped them dead in their tracks.

Skye looked around, "Was that _gunfire_?" she asked.

"Sounds like it, but it's not ours." May said. "We only had ICERs, so it's not Hunter and Morse. It's somebody else. Could be Hydra."

"Hydra? Damn." Coulson spat. "Go carefully, we'll go see what's going on. I don't think whoever this is is attacking Hunter and Morse, we would've heard the ICERs. There's something else here."

"Something else?" Skye asked, eyes widened. "Could it be aliens?"

Coulson gave May a side glance, "There's no telling. We'll go see. Keep along the walls of the ruins. The one rule here is to be careful. I do not want to lose anyone here today."

* * *

><p>(Just A Little Bit Ago.)<p>

Hunter and Morse kept a steady pace through the ruins, looking for anything odd-looking.

"Hey, Bobbi, do you think there are actually aliens on this island?" Hunter asked, looking at Bobbi.

Bobbi sighed, "I don't know. Coulson said it was a possibility. Normally, I would say no. But in these times where aliens have attacked Earthen cities twice in the last two years, I say it's a possibility." she said.

Hunter gave a nervous look at the island's ruins, "Thats… Great…" he muttered.

"Look, just don't complain about it and we'll be fine." she said. "I promise."

"You do?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, I do. Now keep walking."

But something stopped them dead in their tracks. A black mass shot past them and into the ruins.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Hunter exclaimed. "Aliens!"

Bobbi pulled out her ICER, "I don't know. But that was weird."

They looked around them, then screams echoed out from somewhere near them and gunfire pounded the air.

"That's not Coulson and them, is it?" Hunter asked.

"No, it's not." Bobbi said. "Someone else is here, and something's attacking them."

"_Something?!_"

* * *

><p>(Not Too Far Across the Island, Several Minutes Ago)<p>

Whitehall looked to the Doctor, trying not to frown at the Kree's ruined eye. The bandage had come off, since he could heal really fast. But three massive, jagged scars took the eye's place. "Doctor, whatever it is you're after, you're free to go find it."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yes." Whitehall replied, adjusting his glasses. "Do you need someone to go with you?" he asked, gesturing to his two Hydra guards.

The Doctor held up a hand, "No, I'm good. I can defend myself." he said, walking off into the ruins.

"He is one strange being." Whitehall muttered to himself, walking away, followed by his two guards.

He approached a somewhat standing building, half of it lying in ruin. He turned to his guards, "Stay outside the door." he ordered. "I'm looking in here."

The guards took their positions by the building's entrance as Whitehall headed inside.

The walls were covered in alien rune etchings. Whitehall couldn't figure out what they could possibly mean, but they still amazed him. "Could this be the Temple?" he asked himself.

He continued to marvel at the runes, until screams and gunfire broke through the silence. Whitehall spun around towards the entrance, "What the hell?!" He ran outside, only to see his two guards pinned to the building's wall, both by a strange, black structure driving into their shoulder.

"What the?"

Blood ran down the wall from behind the pinned guards. Both of the guards' eyes were widened in fear, staring at something behind Whitehall. He spun around at the sound of a low growl.

He stepped back, coming face to face with a hooded figure, its face invisible, hidden by its hood and what seemed to be a mask-like object covering its mouth and nose. Blood-red eyes glowered at him from beneath the concealment.

"What the hell?! What are you?!" Whitehall exclaimed, stepping back again.

No response, only a demonic-sounding growl.

Whitehall looked to the ground, seeing darkness swirling around the figure, inching its way towards him. He frowned, he knew exactly who this was. "Ward. How the hell did you get here?"

"Does that really matter?" Ward growled. "Does it? You locked me away."

"Because you were a threat!" Whitehall exclaimed. "And besides, I knew what you were going to do to me once we got here to Attilan. I know about Bakshi. I know that you were the one that left him for Coulson. Your 'transformation' or whatever the hell it is gave me just one more reason to lock you away. Face it, I'm not going down that easily."

Ward snarled, inching his way towards the man, "Do. Not. Underestimate. Me." he growled. "You do not know what I am capable of."

"I know that you're capable of taking an alien's eye out." Whitehall said. "But you cannot kill me."

"Watch me."

Ward shot forward towards Whitehall, the shadows following him. Whitehall screamed as the darkness drove into his leg, and he fell to the ground. He pulled out his gun and fired, but it missed. Bracing himself for what surely felt like the end, Whitehall felt like he was staring into the eyes of the Devil himself.

Ward's blood-red, rage-filled eyes seemed to penetrate Whitehall's soul. The last thing Whitehall saw was a red-eyed monster lunging toward him as his vision lapsed into darkness.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. So that happened, and I'll leave you there on that cliffhanger. I'll try to update tomorrow if I can. But I'm still leaving you on that note, mostly because I don't know what to say. So, keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	6. Chapter 6 (It's Dark Inside)

**Chapter Six (It's Dark Inside)**

Coulson, May, and Skye headed towards the sound of the gunfire, not sure what to expect when they got there. They stopped, frozen in their tracks once they saw the horrific scene. Two what looked like Hydra agents were nailed to the wall of a ruined building by some kind of black construct of sorts. Blood ran down the wall from behind them.

"What the hell?" Skye asked, looking at Coulson and May for some kind of explanation for what they were seeing.

"What is this?" Coulson asked, taking a careful step towards the bodies. He approached them slowly. Examining the bodies, he drug a finger down the black substance pinning the agents to the wall.

With his touch, the black material disintegrated, dropping the agent to the ground. Coulson checked for a pulse.

"This guy's dead." he said. He did the same with the other soldier as well, the black substance dissolving and dropping him as well. "He's dead too. Whatever was here meant business. Whatever could create whatever the hell that black stuff was."

"Uh, Coulson?" Skye asked, pointing a shaky finger at another wall by the fallen building.

May and Coulson turned, seeing another man pinned to the wall. The man was dressed in a beige suit, blood splattering the material in various places, and there were claw-like shreds in it as well. A pair of broken glasses lay at his feet. His white hair stuck up at various angles.

"Is that… Whitehall?" May asked.

Coulson gulped, "I think it is. So he got here before us."

"But something got to him." Skye said. "Is he dead?"

Coulson approached Whitehall's seemingly broken body, the dark material pinning him to the wall dissolving as Coulson approached. Whitehall slumped to the ground, looking like he was surely dead. Coulson bent down and felt for a pulse, "He's alive, but it's very weak. We need to get him into the Cage. We'll finally have the guy we've been after all of this time in our hands." he said, standing back up.

"How are we going to do that?" Skye asked. "Someone would have to watch him."

"I don't know." Coulson said. "He's the only one being brought back alive."

"I'll stay at the Bus, call for agents from the base and get them here and pick him up." May said. "They'll transport him into one of the Vaults."

"But how do we get him to the Bus?" Skye asked.

"What the bloody hell?!"

"There you go." Coulson said, seeing Hunter and Bobbi coming up and stopping by them.

"Is that that Whitehall guy?" Bobbi asked.

"Yes, and something got to him. But he's alive." Coulson responded. "We're planning on taking him back to the Cage and May is going to call for a transport team that can take him back to the base and have him locked up. We've finally got him."

"And how are you going to get him there?" Hunter asked.

"You're going to help me and you'll stay on the Bus to help make sure he stays there." May said.

"Yes, and Morse will stay with me and Skye and we'll continue searching the ruins." Coulson added in.

"If that mean I don't have to keep exploring these alien rocks, then yes." Hunter replied.

Coulson sighed, "Good. Help May, and me, Morse, and Skye will be on our way."

"Fine."

* * *

><p>(A Little Bit Later, Elsewhere on the Island.)<p>

"Sheesh, how many ruins are there?" Skye asked out loud. No one answered her question. She stopped and frowned. She turned around, no one was there. "AC? Bobbi?" she called out.

They had been right behind her. Did they stop to look at something and she didn't realize it and just kept on walking? Or did something happen to them?

'Oh God.' she thought. 'Where are they?' She was hoping that whatever had happened to Whitehall and the two Hydra agents didn't happen to them. She started to run in the direction she had come, but everything didn't look right. She didn't recognize anything she passed.

She was lost in the ruins of a building.

But she still kept running until she came upon an exit. She stumbled out of the ruins and into the grass outside. Looking around, Skye saw that Coulson and Bobbi were nowhere in sight. She was alone.

She started to walk forward, trying to find them, but a voice stopped her.

"I've finally found you."

"What?" Skye spun around, seeing a tall man with messy black hair standing beside the rubble of a small statue. Half of his face was distorted by three long, jagged scars that replaced his left eye. There a a wild look in his right eye.

"W-Who are you?" she stammered, stepping back.

The man smiled, stepping forward with his hands spread out, "I'm surprised that you haven't figured it out yet, since you've been looking for me for several years as well." he said.

The color drained from Skye's face, "No, you can't be…. You're not…."

"Yes, I'm your father." the man replied. "Oh, I've waited so long for this moment." he chimed.

Skye shook her head, eyes wide, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"To finally take you home." he said. "And I can finally tell you all you want to know about who you are, your mother, where you came from."

Skye tried to ignore the crazed look in his eye,"Even though I would really love to know all of that, I'm not going with you." she said. "We found one of your hideouts not too long ago, I think, there were men dead there. You killed them. You're a murderer. I won't go with you."

Her father's face fell, "What? You finally meet the man you've been searching for for years, and you won't go with him?"

"No, maybe if it were someone else."

"I am the only family you have!" he roared. "Your mother is dead because of SHIELD! I'm not going to lose you to them as well!"

"I heard the story somewhat from someone else. I'm sure it wasn't SHIELD." Skye said. "I am not going with a killer like you."

A muscle twitched in his face, "Unbelievable." he muttered. "Especially when you were in love with a murderer for a while."

Skye gulped, "How do you know about him?" she asked.

"I've been watching you for a while, waiting for the right moment to come. I knew you would probably make your way here to Attilan eventually. I thought this was the right moment. I guess I was wrong." he said.

"I am not going with you." Skye said coldly. "You may be my father, but you're a killer."

"How do you say that when I'm the one that pretty much saved your friend's life?"

Skye's face fell, "You're the guy that helped save Trip?" she asked.

"More or less."

"That still doesn't change anything." she said. "I will not go with you."

Her father started to storm forward, "I will not lose you again!" he roared. "Not after everything I've been through!"

Skye scampered back, tripping over a brick from one of the ruined buildings, twisting her ankle. She watched in fear as her father stormed towards her, a wild look in his one eye. She brace herself, waiting for whatever the hell he was going to do to her, but he never came.

A black figure shot out of pretty much nowhere, ramming into her father and sent him to the ground. She watched as the figure stood, looming over her dazed father. It looked back it her. She almost gasped at the frightening sight.

The figure wore a dark hood, which covered almost all of his face. A half-mask contraption of sorts covered his mouth and nose. Piercing, blood-red eyes stared back at her. The eyes almost seemed… Familiar...

He pointed off to the distance, "Go! While you can!" he growled, his voice distorted and inhuman-like. "I'll hold him off!"

Skye gulped, something seemed familiar about the guy's voice. But that didn't matter right now, she nodded and got up the best she could with her ankle. She started to half run, half limp into the ruins, not looking back when a piercing, soul shattering scream cut through the air.

* * *

><p>(Playground Base, Same Time.)<p>

"So," Triplett began from his chair. "What are you looking for exactly?" he asked.

"To see if anything weird is happening on the island." Simmons said. "And you better be happy that I let you out of your hospital bed, Trip. I normally wouldn't do that, it's just easier to keep an eye on the others and you at the same time this way."

"I know that."

Strange beeping sounded from one of the computers, Fitz looked at it and frowned, "Uh, there's some kind of strange energy building on the island." he said.

"Strange energy?" Mack asked, looking at the screen.

"I don't know, but the Bus' sensors are picking it up." Fitz replied.

"Is it alien?" Trip asked.

"I don't know what it is." Fitz said once more. "The computers won't identify it."

"Should we let Coulson know?" Simmons asked.

"Probably, uh, yes." Fitz said.

Simmons activated one of the comms, after a few seconds Coulson answered.

"_Yes? What is it? It better be important."_

"Sir, computers are picking up some kind of unknown energy building on the island." Simmons said. "We don't know what it is."

"_Great, just what we need. We've lost Skye, we can't find her."_

"What?!" they all exclaimed.

Coulson explained what happened with Whitehall and then continued, "_There's something else on the island, and we're afraid that it's found her. We were in a set of ruins, checking it out. And when me and Morse turned around, she was gone. We don't know where she is."_

"Should we remotely activate the Retrievers from the Bus?" Fitz asked.

"_Do that, we can't afford to lose anyone today. We need to find her, before anything can happen to her."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Surprise! You get another chapter today! Mostly because I will be out of town for majority of the day tomorrow for Thanksgiving and I don't know if I will be able to update tomorrow. So all of that happened. Whitehall is retrieved by Coulson, Skye goes temporarily missing, meets her father, he goes mad when she doesn't want to go with him, a shadowy figure come out of nowhere and protects her. Good? Maybe? I don't know. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	7. Chapter 7 (Where My Demons Hide)

**Chapter Seven (Where My Demons Hide)**

"I cannot believe that we can't find her." Coulson grumbled. "We turn around for just one minute and she's gone."

Bobbi sighed, "And these ruins seem to go on forever." she said. "There's no telling to where she could be now. And if that _thing _that attacked Whitehall and killed those two Hydra agents is still around, she could be in trouble."

Coulson grimaced, quickening his pace around the fallen ruins, "I don't even want to think about that." he said. "I don't want to lose anyone today, especially Skye. It's my fault that we lost sight of her."

"Don't blame yourself for this." Bobbi said. "She's around here somewhere, we just have to keep looking. She's probably looking for us as well. Most likely, she took a wrong turn in the fallen building we were in when our backs were turned and she got lost. I still don't see why these ruins seem endless when the island itself is pretty small."

"Must be some kind of outside illusion." Coulson said. "Makes the island look like nothing to the outside, but on the inside it's much bigger and more elaborate."

"Like the TARDIS?" Bobbi asked.

Coulson frowned, "The what now?" he asked, clearly confused by her question.

Bobbi sighed, "Never mind, forget that I asked that. But Skye couldn't have gone that far, she'll have to be around here somewhere."

"If that thing didn't get her." Coulson muttered.

"If we haven't seen it, then maybe it's not around. Or it just had a big grudge against Whitehall and the two Hydra guards for some God forsaken reason."

"Why would a supposed monster have a grudge against Hydra?" Coulson asked.

"Maybe they created it, or found it and did something to it knowing them." Bobbi said. "And then it developed a hatred towards them and wanted to kill them."

"Well it won't be killing Whitehall anytime soon." Coulson said. "He's going in one of the Vaults until he can be interrogated thoroughly. We'll find Skye and get finished up here, then we'll go back to the Playground."

Bobbi nodded, not saying anything else.

The two agents kept walking, weaving in and out around the fallen remains of the ruins, hoping that they could find Skye soon.

* * *

><p>(Not Too Far Away)<p>

Skye didn't run far after the shadowy, masked figure had told her to run. Her ankle hurt like hell, and that didn't help her running. Plus, she kind of wanted to see why the figure seemed like he had a grudge against her father. She hid a safe distance from them, peering out from behind a fallen statue.

She could see what the two beings were doing, but they were just out of earshot. She couldn't make out a word that they were saying.

The Doctor snarled, "Ward. What the hell are you doing here?" he growled. "How in the hell did you get here? I don't see another jet."

"That doesn't matter." Ward spat back.

"Well what matters is that you let her get away." he said. "Why keep me from her? Why 'protect' her? She hates your guts. Why do something for her?" he asked.

Ward grimaced, "Because I don't want to see her get hurt." he said. "I don't care how she feels about me, I don't."

"But you're keeping her from her family."

"_You are not her family!_" Ward snapped. "You heard her, she doesn't want to go with her. She told you several times, over and over. You may be her blood, but you are sure as hell not her family."

"So when does relationship beat blood?" the Doctor asked. "Because I thought that it was blood that made a family."

"Blood doesn't make family, and I should know that. My family was sure as hell not my family. They beat me, bullied me. The only family I had was my younger brother and sister. Blood does not define family." Ward snarled. "And Skye has a family, and that's Coulson's team."

"That's not her name!" the Doctor screamed.

"But you are not her family! Her family is with her team!"

"A family that you are no longer part of!" the Doctor exclaimed. "You had your chance and you blew it for Hydra."

"I was never Hydra!" Ward roared, his voice becoming distorted again.

"Sure you were. Now get the hell out of here, you have no say in this matter. She won't choose you over me, she sees you as a monster. And now, you really are one." the Doctor teased. "Go back to the hell you came from." He turned away and started to walk away, but a demonic growl stopped him.

He stopped dead in his tracks, "Damn, I let myself go too far again." he muttered as a practical blade of shadow shot past his ear. The Doctor dropped to the ground, dodging another projectile that would've surely taken off his head.

He jumped up and spun around, seeing the black beast standing in front of him once again. "You've really got to learn how to control that anger of your again." he teased.

The beast that was once Ward snarled, slowly approaching the Kree. Shadows started to swirl around the both of them, starting to surround the Kree's feet.

Skye watched in pure horror as the beast that had took place of the man that had saved her moments before lunged towards her father, shadows following it.

Her father fell to the ground, the shadows creeping upon his body and wrapping around his limbs, leaving him defenceless. She watched as her father was slowly raised into the air.

The beast approached the Doctor, bone-chilling growls echoing through the stagnant air. Skye's stomach froze as one of the black masses shot from the ground and drove straight through her father's chest. She trembled in fear of the monster and at the sight of her father slumping over in the tendrils' grasp, most likely dead, blood running down his ruffled, button-up shirt.

A bright light then enveloped the beast and her most likely dead father, concealing them from Skye's sight. She shielded her eyes as the light grew brighter then died off quickly. As she looked back over to the scene, she saw that her father was gone and the beast was as well, the man was back, lying most likely unconscious on the ground.

Without thinking she ran out from behind the cover of the fallen statue and ran towards the fallen man. He was on his back, eyes wide open. She checked for a pulse and found that he was alive, even though clearly unconscious with his eyes wide open somehow.

She frowned. Wasn't the man's eyes glowing bright red just earlier when he had told her to run? Now they were a soft, dark brown. Something fluttered in her chest, she knew these eyes.

The rest of the man's face was still hidden by the half-mask and the hood. Skye reached out a trembling hand and removed the mask. She dropped the mask quickly, and scampered back at what she saw. "_W-Ward_?!" she exclaimed.

She shook trying to take everything in. Ward was the man that had protected her from her crazy father? Ward was the one that somehow had turned into that monster she had saw and then had seemingly killed her father? What had happened to him?

Suddenly Ward shot up, fear in his eyes as he saw Skye. He scampered back, trembling, "No, no, Skye… You can't see me like this…. Not now… I'm a monster…. No…" he muttered.

She started to reach out towards Ward, "W-Grant, tell me, what's going on." she said as calmly as she could at the moment. "Please."

Ward shook his head frantically, "No… Not now… You can't see me like this…. Please forgive me…" And then he just blinked out of sight, gone, darkness melting into the grass of Attilan.

Skye stared in disbelief at the spot that Ward had just been sitting. He had just disappeared, but how? Skye still trembled. She had no clue what was happening. Something happened to Ward in the time he was gone, but what?

The fear in his eyes reminded her of the Berserker Incident. Something was wrong, and she was afraid to know what it was. He clearly didn't want her to see him like how he was, and he made sure of that.

But how was Ward the monster she had just seen murder her father? Nothing made sense to her at the moment. Skye just sat there in the grass, surrounded by the fallen ruins of Attilan. She stared at the ground, numb. She didn't even hear Coulson and Bobbi calling her name, headed towards her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> _I don't own AoS, Marvel does. So that happened. Ward confronts the Doctor and seems to kill him with a shadow construct through the chest. Skye then finds out that Ward was the monster. Ward disappears out of sight when he realizes that Skye saw what happened, fearing for himself. Whitehall's captured and the Doctor seems to be dead? So what's next? I don't know. (Even though I have a really good thought of how to make the story go even further.) Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	8. Chapter 8(Put Me to Sleep, Evil Angel)

**Chapter Eight (Put Me to Sleep, Evil Angel)**

Ward stumbled as his shadow teleport act brought him into a place he didn't intend on going. He steadied himself, his mind a complete blur as a thousand different thoughts raced through it. Blinking blurs out of his eyes, Ward found himself in some sort of storage area.

His whole body froze, he knew this storage area. This was the Bus of all places, somehow. How the hell did he get here? He only intended to get away from the island, but his loss of control of the teleport somehow brought him here.

He felt sick, if they found him here… They would surely kill him. And if they knew what he truly was, there would be no mercy for him. None at all. He would be killed on sight.

Vertigo hit him again as his mind started racing a thousand miles an hour again. Pain shot through his body as he retched onto the cold, steel floor. Thoughts as dark as the dead of night assaulted him.

'_Go ahead and kill them, save yourself.'_

'_Slaughter them all, piece by God forsaken piece. They'll all fall. Show no mercy.'_

'_Run as far as you can, and never look back.'_

'_Show them who is stronger, slice them apart. Bathe in their sin-laced, crimson blood.'_

'_They caged you, treated you less than man. Now you are more than man, show them who you truly are.'_

'_KILL THEM ALL. YOU ARE MORE THAN THEM. SHOW THEM WHO YOU REALLY ARE. YOU ARE A THOUSAND TIMES STRONGER THAN ALL OF THEM COMBINED. SLAUGHTER THEM ALL. PAINT THE WALLS IN THEIR BLOOD.'_

Ward squeezed his eyes shut, kneeling over and trying to shut the thoughts out, but he couldn't. These were thoughts of darkness, and he was one with the darkness. These thoughts were unconsciously his, no matter what he thought.

His was losing his mind to the darkness that he had become. He trembled as he felt the darkness closing in on him.

'_Kill them all...' _It whispered. '_You don't care what happens to them anymore. Save yourself...'_

He was now a slave of the darkness that he was. It was gaining control of his mind and body, turning him into something totally different than the man he was before.

The Diviner had created a monster, a monster that would soon be unstoppable if someone didn't intervene soon.

Ward collapsed to the ground as the darkness took hold, and this time it seemed for sure now. His vision went red briefly, then completely dark.

The darkness was gaining control… And it was winning…

* * *

><p>(Several Hours Later, The Playground.)<p>

"So Coulson is just giving up on the city?" Skye asked in disbelief. "After everything?"

May sighed, watching a medical agent wrap Skye's ankle up, "He made the right choice, Skye. You were hurt, there was no use for staying there. And we have Whitehall to deal with. Coulson says we'll return later. And you've got to heal first." she said.

Simmons came up, looking at a clipboard with an X-ray on it, "May is right, you fractured your ankle. You've got to rest for at least three weeks, no field missions for you."

"What?!"

"Skye." May said sternly.

"Fine."

"How did you get hurt anyways?" Fitz asked.

Skye gulped, "I, um, fell over a broken statue." she said, not mentioning that she was running away from her father and the monster that was Ward.

"You fell over a statue?" Fitz asked, laughing.

"It's not funny!" Skye exclaimed.

Simmons sighed, handing Skye a pair of crutches, "Go get rest." she said. "You're on bed rest until tomorrow. No getting up unless it's absolutely necessary, like you have to use the toilet. Fitz and I will take turns checking on you."

"Why me?! Why can't someone else do it?!" Fitz exclaimed.

"Because me, Coulson, Morse, and Hunter will be busy with interrogating Whitehall." May said. "Triplett is still on bed rest. And Mack's busy with his project. And I don't trust Koenig, wherever he his."

"Fine." Fitz grumbled.

Skye got up, steadying herself with her crutches.

"Fitz, if you can, help Skye to her room." Simmons said.

"Sure." Fitz said, helping Skye get her balance and walking with her out of the infirmary.

May walked out as well.

"I swear," Simmons muttered to herself. "Skye finds the strangest ways to get herself hurt."

* * *

><p>(In One of the Vaults, A Little Bit Later)<p>

"Speak." Coulson said sternly, looking at the beat-up Whitehall. "Why were you looking for the city?"

Whitehall gave a slight smile, "To unlock its power." he said. "The city of Attilan holds an ancient power, one that I can use to take hold of the world."

"And what is that power?" May asked.

"That isn't a concern to you."

"You said 'Attilan'." Coulson noted. "How did you find a name?" he asked.

"I had a man, well being, with me that knew a whole lot about the city and the Diviner, or the Obelisk." Whitehall said.

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. He probably left. Or was killed by that monster."

"That's one thing I really want to know right now." Coulson said. "Everything else can wait just a bit. What is this monster?" he asked. "The one that killed those two Hydra soldiers and almost got to you."  
>Whitehall gave a grim smile, "You wouldn't like who the monster really is, but this monster is one the Diviner created. You see, the Diviner acts as a Terrigenesis device to some, unlocking their Inhuman power if they are a descendent."<p>

"I don't know what that means." Coulson said.

"You will, eventually." Whitehall teased. "But in this case, the Diviner created a monster of shadow and wrath. One that will not stop killing until it gets what it wants. I tried to cage it, because it tried to kill my, well, colleague. Seems like it didn't like that. Somehow made its way to the island where it took out my two guards and almost me. It wanted my life, it intended to kill me."

"Keep going." Coulson said.

"And if it knows that I am here, alive, it will surely follow." Whitehall said. "And it is a force to be reckoned with." He saw something move in the corner and gulped, "You have no clue to what you are getting yourselves into."

* * *

><p>(Skye's Room.)<p>

Skye sighed, settling down into her bed and watching Fitz leave the room. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out something to do. She was stuck in this bed until at least tomorrow, she would be bored big time.

Sighing once more, Skye continued to stare at the gray ceiling. She almost fell asleep, but the sound of shuffling near her bed jerked her completely awake. She shot up and started to reach for the gun that she kept in her nightstand, but it wasn't there. Where did it go?

She looked around the ground, grabbing one of her crutches to use as defence. Then _he _appeared, out of completely nowhere, standing at the edge of her bed with a twisted smile and a wild, but pained look in his eyes. Ward.

Skye shuffled back to her headboard, as far as she could go. "W-What are you doing here?!" she screamed. "How?"

"I-I don't know." he said. his voice weak, yet distorted. "I somehow got on the Bus… And, and I was here…" He gave another half-crazed smile, "You're safe…"

"Yeah? Do you see my ankle?" Skye asked harshly, gesturing to her ankle.

Ward frowned, but didn't say anything.

Skye frowned, noticing black tendrils of _something _slowly crawling up Ward's bare neck. He had gotten rid of the weird jacket, but his arms were still covered. There was no telling if the tendrils were there too. Red specks danced in his irises. Darkness swirled around him on the floor.

Skye took a breath, "What happened to you?" she asked quietly.

Ward pointed a shaky finger at himself, "I was a fool. It called to me and I picked it up when I was told not to. I was changed. It created a monster."

"What's 'it'?" Skye asked softly.

"The Diviner." he said, his voice growing slightly distorted. He looked around with a crazed gaze, "Shadows are everywhere, and I am one with them. I was locked up like a monster, I was going to be cut up and experimented on."

"You were the monster on the island. The one that killed the Hydra soldiers."

Ward didn't say anything.

"And you killed my father, before I could get anything out of him." Skye stated.

"He was going to kidnap you!" Ward snapped.

Skye flinched as his sudden change in tone.

"If I didn't step in, he would've taken you." Ward growled. "You didn't hear the things he said to me. Told me to go back to hell. I lost control and killed him. Same with Whitehall."

Skye gulped, seeing the red growing in the man's eyes, "Whitehall isn't dead." she said quietly.

"_What?!"_

"He's being interrogated, in one of the Vaults."

"HE. SHOULD. BE. DEAD." Ward growled, his voice clearly inhuman now. "Why is he alive?!"  
>"He's alive because he can give valuable information to Coulson." Skye said.<p>

Ward didn't say anything, but Skye watched in horror as his soft, brown eyes turned completely blood-red, the black tendrils moving further up onto his base of his face.

Ward then disappeared, but one, bone-chilling sentence hung in the air, _"YOU WILL ALL SEE DEATH."_

Skye sat on her bed, once again staring at the spot where Ward had been standing. No, that wasn't Ward. Ward was long gone. Whatever had happened to him had erased all traces of the man that once was. Only a monster stood now, a monster that would kill them all.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Ward's no longer himself anymore, his Inhuman self has taken control. He's now a bloodthirsty killer, bent on the death of everyone in his way. Do you think the team can knock enough sense into him long enough so they can find a way to bring him back? Or will darkness fall over the team? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/ or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.**  
><strong>


	9. Chapter 9 (Can't Escape Myself)

**Chapter Nine (Can't Escape Myself)**

(In One of the Vaults, A Little Bit Later)

Coulson frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked. "Why are you suddenly fidgety?" He noted Whitehall's sudden change in expression. The man was now looking around the room, fear in his eyes, and he ever so slightly shaking. "What's going on?"

Whitehall gave a grim smile, eyes darting to the other side of the Vault, "You've led it here." he said. "You taking me captive only led it here. You've brought your downfall."

Coulson's face fell and he looked to May, who was frowning, "Wait, are you talking about the monster?" he asked.

"Yes, I am."

"It's here?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?" May asked. "We don't see anything."

"Trust me, I just know." Whitehall said.

Coulson frowned and walked over to May, "Something doesn't seem right." he said in a whisper.

"Is it really here, or is he trying to find a way to get out?" May asked.

"I don't know, let's go check some things and we'll come back." Coulson said.

May nodded.

Coulson turned back to Whitehall, "We're going upstairs for a little while. Stay handcuffed to your chair and don't go anywhere." he said.

"Don't leave me here!" Whitehall screamed as Coulson and May started to walk up the stairs. "He'll kill me!" But they were already out of the room, door locked behind him.

Whitehall gulped, feeling the impending doom upon him. His eyes shifted nervously to the corner of the Vault, where swirling shadows were starting to gather. His stomach dropped as a demonic growl echoed from the corner and throughout the room.

The end was near.

* * *

><p>Coulson and May walked into the room where Bobbi and Hunter were watching over the interrogation.<p>

Hunter looked at the two, standing up, "What the bloody hell was that?!" he exclaimed. "Is there really a monster in the base?"

Bobbi rolled her eyes, "Please, Lance, there's no way that a monster got on the base. If there really was one on the island, there's no way that it got here. Unless it hitched a ride on the Bus or the jet that transported Whitehall here."

Hunter looked to Coulson, "Could it do that?!"

"I don't know. We don't know if this 'monster' stuff is just a ploy for Whitehall to escape. But something had to kill those two Hydra soldiers back on the island that way. What killed them wasn't human." Coulson said. "We have to take all precautions just in case."

The four agents were immersed in conversation, their backs to the security screens. They didn't notice the swirling shadows in the Vault and a frantic Whitehall screaming for mercy.

"So you are saying that it is possible that there's a monster on the base." Hunter said, his voice growing frantic. "Because if there is, I want out of here now."

"You're not going anywhere." Bobbi said.

"Yes, it's a possibility, but we don't know." Coulson said. "We have to,"

Coulson didn't get to finish that sentence, because a blood-curdling scream cut through the air, echoing from down the hall, cut him off.

"What the bloody hell?!" Hunter exclaimed.

Coulson, May, and Bobbi all reached for their guns, looking around the room. Hunter's eyes drifted to the security screens, widening.

"Uh, guys? You might want to check this out." He pointed a shaky finger to the screens.

"What?"

The other agents looked to the screens, eyes widening in horror. Whitehall laid slumped over on the table, something sharp and black protruding from his back. Blood ran heavily down the back of his beige suit.

"What. The. Bloody. Hell." Hunter said slowly. "Is he dead?"

"I-I don't know." Coulson stammered. "L-let's go."

The four agents dashed off to the Vault.

* * *

><p>"Oh my God." Bobbi whispered, seeing the bloody scene as they got into the Vault. "Oh my God."<p>

Coulson hurried over to the prisoner. He gulped, this was the same as the scene back on Attilan. The same black construct had pierced Whitehall through his chest that had pierced him and killed the Hydra soldiers as earlier. He checked for a pulse, there was none.

"He's dead." Coulson said. He looked around the room hesitantly. "He was right, there was something after him. And it's here."

Hunter jumped at that.

The four agents tightened their grips on their guns.

"We'll check the footage first." Coulson said slowly. "Then find the others and get them to safety. If the monster or whatever is still here, we have to fight it off no matter what."

They all nodded, eyes darting between Coulson and the gruesome scene that was Whitehall's body.

They made their way back upstairs and to the room that held the footage. Hunter sat down and rewinded the footage to right after they had left the Vault and left Whitehall screaming after them.

They watched in horror as shadows slithered out of the corners of the room and melded together into the outline of a man, nothing more than that. It was just a black figure with glowing, red eyes.

Hunter turned up the volume as Whitehall started screaming.

"_Please! I'm begging you! Don't kill me!'_

The creature growled in response, creeping closer to Whitehall.

'_Please, no! I didn't mean what I said! Think about what they will do to you if you kill me! They'll-'_

Whitehall didn't get to finish that sentence, because a black shape shot from the floor, driving straight through his chest. He fell over onto the desk immediately, blood pooling out of his back.

The four agents watched frozen as the darkness seemed to melt off of the creature, revealing a man clad in all black. The man glanced briefly in the camera's direction then blinked out of sight.

Coulson pointed to the screen, "Hunter, pause it on the man and zoom in on his face."

"I-I can do that." Hunter stammered, clearly shaken up from had he had just seen. Hunter rewinded the footage back to where the man had looked at the camera and paused it. He zoomed on the face.

Coulson and May's faces drained of all of their color, "No…" they both muttered.

Hunter frowned, "Wait, isn't that the guy…"

Bobbi looked at the screen, at the man's glowing-red eyes. "That's…" she began.

"It's Ward." Coulson said, voice weak. "Somehow, it's him. And he just killed our only connection to Hydra."

The four agents stared at the face on the screen. It was indeed Ward on the screen staring at the camera, irises glowing a bright red. They just didn't know how it possibly could be him.

"How?" May muttered.

"Lock down the base." Coulson ordered. "Find Skye, Fitzsimmons, Triplett, and Mack and tell them to get to cover. We're gonna have to fight tonight. We're goners."

* * *

><p>(Skye's Room.)<p>

Skye still sat frozen when Bobbi and Hunter burst into the room. She quickly looked up, knowing what was going on, but she still questioned it, "What's going on?" she asked.

"There's a monster on the base." Bobbi said. "We've got to get you somewhere safe." She didn't mention that the monster was Ward, knowing that Skye once had a thing for the man. "Come on, we'll help you."

Skye nodded numbly, "O-Okay." she stammered, carefully swinging her legs over the side of her bed.

Hunter handed her her crutches and helped her get up and steady herself. They took a nervous glance around the room before helping her walk out.

"Don't worry, we won't let it get you." Hunter said, trying to laugh. But he couldn't, he was frightened.

Skye gulped as they headed down the hallway. They didn't know that she already knew what was going on, she knew that they could possibly all die. They would all be killed at Ward's crazed, out of mind, monstrous hand. And there was nothing they could do.

Death was inevitable.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. So yeah, there ya go. I don't really know what to say about this chapter. Death is inevitable, unless they can snap him out of his murderous craze. That's about all that can be said about this. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	10. Chapter 10 (The Bird and the Worm)

**Chapter Ten (The Bird and the Worm)**

* * *

><p>"<em>He wears his heart safety pinned to his backpack, his backpack is all that he knows. Shot down by strangers whose glances can cripple the heart and devour the soul."<em>

* * *

><p>Ward stumbled down the endless hallways of the Playground in a blind fury, the shadows leading him. Darkness slithered on his skin in their tendril state, his eyes a blinding, fierce, blood-red. Murder and abhorrence flowed off of him in massive waves.<p>

His mind was jumble of seething thoughts and crying out pleas for help and mercy. He twitched as the conflicting thoughts pounded his mind into agonizing insanity. He stumbled again in his blind, insane, rage.

The shadows started to morph him again into a monster, forming his hands into knife-like claws. As he stumbled again, he tried to hold onto the wall, but he missed. His claws of shadow slicing through the wall, creating long, jagged marks.

His erratic gait marked his fleeting control of his mind and his actions. The darkness was trying to obtain complete control over him. His Inhuman side was attempting to completely eradicate his human side. If it won, only a monster would remain of him. There would be no trace of humanity left in him.

And everyone in the base would be slaughtered, all skin and muscle stripped from their bones. Blood would splatter the walls and the floors. Nothing would remain of the agents. Nothing but blood and bone.

Ward stumbled again as more agonizing thoughts assaulted his still-fleeting mind, shadows morphing more of his body. He screamed out, but it wasn't a human scream. It was a scream that sounded like it was formed in the deepest pits of hell, a scream that would make anyone drop dead from fear.

'_Find them… Kill them… Slaughter them all… Till nothing but their bones remain in piles...'_

'_They offered a haven for the man who threatened unspeakable things upon you… Show them no mercy...'_

'_Stop! What are you doing?! You promised to never hurt them again! Look at what you are doing!'_

'_Kill them all…. Bathe in their crimson blood...'_

Ward stood frozen in place, a dark, grim, deranged smile plastered on his face as the last of the shadows melded his body into the monster. "I will… Kill them… All…"

* * *

><p>"<em>All alone he turns to stone, while holding his breath half to death. Terrified of what's inside. To save his life, he crawls like a worm from a bird. Crawls like a worm from a bird."<em>

* * *

><p>Fitzsimmons, Triplett, and Mack all stood as Hunter and Bobbi quickly escorted Skye into the lab.<p>

"What's going on?" Fitz asked.

"Something's on the base." Hunter said quickly. "Lock down the lab."

"Coulson's orders since you're all here." Bobbi added. "Lock it down. Now." The two left in a flash.

Fitz looked at the others with a confused look, but went ahead and locked down the lab. Fitz looked back at Skye, "What's going on?" he asked.

"Something's on the base, and it killed Whitehall in the Vault." Skye said, leaving out the part that the thing was Ward.

"Huh?" Simmons asked.

"What?!" Triplett exclaimed. "I don't believe it. Fitz, pull up the footage from the Vault on the tablet."

"Uh, uh, ok." Fitz stammered, setting up the tablet and pulling up the footage.

The five agents watched in horror as Whitehall's brutal murder unfolded right on the screen. All trembled at the sight of the monster and as the monster morphed back into man.

Mack frowned, "Hold on." he said. "The guy looked at the camera. Fitz, can you rewind it to there and zoom in?" he asked.  
>"S-Sure."<p>

They all froze as Fitz managed to freeze on the red-eyed man glaring at the Vault's camera.

"Oh my word." Simmons muttered in horror at the sight of the man on the screen.

Triplett straightened up in his chair, "Hold on, is that who I think it is?" he asked.

"It's Ward…" Fitz mumbled.

"Wait, isn't that the guy that was locked in one of the Vaults then escaped?" Mack asked. "Your old teammate-turned-Hydra or whatever?"

Skye nodded numbly.

"Oh my word." Simmons repeated.

"I-I was afraid that this was going to happen." Skye said softly.

"What?" Triplett asked.

"Just a little bit before Bobbi and Lance came running into my room, Ward… He appeared out of nowhere." Skye said. "Something's wrong with him. He had this crazed, pain look in his eyes. I asked him what happened to him. He only said something about being a fool and picking up the Obelisk. Something about it changing him and being 'one with the shadows'. He was out of his mind.

Then he said something about killing Whitehall. And of course I said that he wasn't dead and was locked in the Vault being interrogated. And Ward.. He just snapped. He went from dazed and confused to being in pure rage. Then he disappeared, just like that. After screaming something about Whitehall being dead."

The other four agents blinked, scared looks on their faces.

"So, Ward is some kind of psychopathic monster that probably wants to kill us now?" Fitz asked.

"So he was the monster on the island that Coulson was talking about?" Simmons asked.

Skye gulped, "Yes, he was. I didn't tell anybody this, just because I didn't have a chance to. I ran into him there. More like I ran into my crazy father. He tried to kidnap me. A cloaked man came out of nowhere and attacked him, told me to run. That's how I messed up my ankle.

When I looked back, I saw a monster. It killed my father with a single _something _through his chest, just like Whitehall. Didn't know it was Ward until I ran over to his unconscious body after some light engulfed the two and my father was gone from sight." she explained. "Once I got to Ward, he shot up. Started shaking and mumbling things about 'I couldn't see him like that' and 'he was a monster'. Then he disappeared. I didn't get a chance to tell anyone about it because then Coulson and Bobbi came out of nowhere, got me back to the Bus and got me full of painkillers because of my ankle. I was too out of it. Then I got here, ankle fixed up, and sent immediately to my room."

"My God." Simmons said. "Wasn't the Obelisk that thing that turned Hartley's hand to stone?" she asked. "And that lady at that diner? How did it change Ward into a bloodthirsty monster?"

"I-I don't know. And he's losing his mind, and that's when I saw him last." Skye said. "There's no telling to how he is now, after murdering Whitehall."

Mack glanced at the back wall, "Uh, guys?" he asked, pointing at the wall. "You might want to check this out."

"What?"

The other four agents turned to look at the back wall of the lab, all freezing in place.

"What the hell is that?" Triplett asked.

Swirling, black masses were slithering down the wall from the ceiling, piling onto the floor. The mass grew, melding into the shape of a man. But that's just it, only the shape of a man. It was a completely black figure, only with glowing, red eyes poking out of the darkness.

"What the hell?" Skye muttered, stepping back with the other agents. "No… I-It can't be…"

"Is that?" Fitz mumbled.

"My God…" Simmons murmured.

The creature stepped forward, knocking over a lab stool. It growled, which was a demonic sound. Shadows lashed out from around its feet, some starting to inch their way towards the five agents.

Mack, Trip, and Skye grabbed stationary ICERs, aiming it at the beast.

The beast roared, rattling the bones of the five agents. It started to charge towards them, they started to fire the ICERs at it, but it was useless against the beast.

But the the beast stopped frozen and started to tremble. It growled again, but this time it was weak and small. The black on its face started to shrink away, stopping when it revealed half of man's face. The fearful, trembling face of their once friend stared back them, his one, revealed eye shrunken in fear and in pain.

"Please… Help me…" he muttered weakly.

"W- Grant?!" Skye asked.

"He's still there." Fitz said. "He's still there."

Skye stepped forward.

"Skye, don't do this." Simmons warned.

"Skye." Triplett quickly said.

"Please… It hurts… So much…" Ward pleaded again, the shadows starting to cover his face back up again.

"Fitz is right, Ward's still in there." Skye said. "I-If we can get to him, maybe we can stop him long enough to at least ice him and get him somewhere safe. He's no longer in control of himself anymore."

"Please… Skye…" Ward cried out. "So much… Pain… Darkness…. Please hel-"

Ward's cry was cut off as his face completely morphed back into the monster. The monster growled at them and started to charge at them, shadows following it.

Skye stepped back, trying to get out of the way, but a tendril of darkness grabbed her injured ankle and pulled her to the ground.

"Skye!" Triplett yelled, starting to run towards her. But a tendril shot out of the ground. hit him square in the chest, and sent him to the ground as well.

The agents all froze as the force of dark murder that held Ward hostage inside of his own body charged towards them. They were like deer in the headlights, staring at the face of death.

* * *

><p>"<em>Out of his mind away, pushes him whispering. Must've been out of his mind. Mid-day delusions of pushing this out of his head, maybe out of his mind. All alone he turns to stone, while holding his breath half to death. Terrified of what's inside. To save his life, he crawls like a worm from a bird. <em>_**Crawls like a worm from a bird.**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Bird and the Worm' by The Used. Using lyrics for the last few chapters to add an increase to the mood or whatever. So... All of that happened. Ward completely loses to the darkness, and his Inhuman self attacks Skye, Fitzsimmons, Mack, and Triplett. But Ward's still in there? Can they break through to him before it's too late? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	11. Chapter 11 (Louder Than Thunder)

**Chapter Eleven (Louder Than Thunder)**

* * *

><p>"<em>What would it take for things to be quite? Quiet like the snow? That we meant to be empty-handed. I know I could, I could be better."<em>

* * *

><p>Skye watched from the cold floor of the lab as the beast that had taken over Ward approached her four teammates, driving them into the corner. The ICERs were useless and the beast was way too fast for anyone to fight. Her ankle throbbed from being pulled to the ground by it, but she stood anyways, wobbling.<p>

"Grant." she said firmly to the beast's back. "I know you're in there, please listen to me. This isn't you, you wouldn't do any of this. You don't have the heart to kill any of us."

The beast stopped and growled, turning around slowly to glare at Skye with its glowing red eyes.

"Skye, what are you doing?" Fitz asked. "He'll kill you."

"No, _it'll _kill me." Skye replied. "But not Ward. If we can somehow break through to him, maybe this whole thing can stop. We've got to remind him who he really is."

"What?" Mack asked.

"It's too risky, Skye." Simmons said quickly and quietly. "It'll slaughter you before you can get to him."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take now." Skye said. "It's better than letting him suffer. You saw him, he was in pain. He's trapped. We've got to get him out of there."

"Skye, don't do this." Triplett warned, tightening his grip on his ICER.

Skye ignored him and continued, "Grant, please, I know you're in there. Please listen. You don't have the heart to kill any of us. You told me when you were imprisoned that you couldn't bear the thought of killing Fitzsimmons, that's why you ejected them into the ocean, thinking that it would save them." she said.

Fitzsimmons both gulped.

"Even though it wasn't the best way, they're both still alive, with a few technicalities. But they're alive. Don't let this beast, this darkness control you before you do something that you don't have the heart for."

The beast hesitated, maybe something was starting to break through to Ward. But it growled, stepping towards Skye.

"You told me that you would never hurt us again." Skye continued, fear growing in her eyes. "Please, please don't let this ruin it. I know you, this isn't you. I understand your grudge with Whitehall, with my father, but don't let it carry to us. Our blood would be too much on your hands."

The beast's eyes flickered, showing recognition.

"Grant, please see that it's us, and not just someone else in your way." Skye said. "Look, it's me, Fitz, Simmons, Triplett, and Mack. We're not Hydra. Yes, we did imprison you and ignored you when you needed us the most. But.. But…" She gave a hesitant glance to her teammates, "But, we can help you through this. Possibly get you back to your old self. Just listen to us, and let us help."

Skye didn't notice Coulson, May, Hunter, and Bobbi come in, guns drawn and pointed at the beast.

"Skye, get away from him, now!" Coulson yelled.

"Bloody hell!" That was Hunter.

The beast spun around and sent a tendril of shadow into Coulson, knocking him to the ground. Coulson groaned as his head struck the floor, splitting open on his forehead.

"Coulson, let me talk to him." Skye pleaded. "I'm getting through to him. Please."

May helped Coulson up and they all hesitated.

"Skye, I don't want you.."

The beast roared, the lab shaking in reverberation.

Skye ignored their pleas for her to leave the beast alone. She approached the beast as it spun around to face her. She grabbed its wrist and looked it straight in its blood-red eyes.

"Grant, you're in there. I know it." she said softly. "Listen to my voice, take hold and try to break through. Please, you don't know what it would be like if you hurt us. You promised to protect us from now on, fulfil that promise. Don't let this monster control you and slaughter us. Look at us, Grant. I know that you're still in there. You're not totally gone yet."

The beast growled, but it was weak and shallow. Its eyes flickered.

Skye gave a slight smile, hoping that he was breaking through. And it worked, the shadow started to peel back, still only revealing half of his face.

Ward's only visible eye widened, "S-Skye?" he asked, voice weak. He glanced at the others, "Guys? What's-" He was cut off suddenly as his eye suddenly grew red again. The shadow didn't cover his face back up, but he growled, "Don't… Try and stop… Me…" he hissed. "You… Will… All… Die…"

Skye tightened her grip on his wrist, "Grant, please. I see you. Don't do this. This is not you." She looked him straight in his visible eye, "Please, show us that you're still-" She didn't get to finish.

The rest of the team all watched in horror as a sharp blade of shadow shot from the ground and drove straight through Skye's chest from her back. Her eyes widened in shock and in pain, blood blossoming on her shirt. The shadow disappeared and Skye fell to the ground, letting go of Ward's wrist.

"Skye!" they all screamed.

The team all stepped forward to shoot at Ward, but they stood frozen as Ward's half-human, half-beast stated faltered and he dropped to his knees by Skye's side. They saw the pain and shock in his eye, the red fading from it. The shadows melted off of him and slithered back into the darkness.

"S-Skye… No… Did I? What?" Ward muttered numbly, a tear running down his face. He blinked, looking up at the team, "Did I… Do this?" he asked, voice full of melancholy and regret. "Was this me?"

They didn't respond, but kept pointing their guns at him. Simmons dropped to Skye's side and felt for a pulse.

"She's…. She's still alive. But barely." Simmons said. "S-She needs attention, now."

Ward's face froze, "S-She's dying?" he asked.

The team saw the pain in his face. And they saw that he looked weak and sick. His face was pale and his eyes were sunken in. His eyes were also glassed over. It looked as though whatever had happened to him was slowly killing him, and it was close to winning.

"Just, just kill me." Ward muttered. "There's no hope for a monster like me… Put a bullet in my head and end it all."

Coulson gulped, not knowing what to do.

"That's what I deserve. I hurt you, I hurt Skye. Who says I won't hurt anymore?" he asked. "Go ahead and do it… End it…"

Ward was expecting to hear the sound of a bullet being fired as he looked down in shame at Skye's bleeding body, but it never came.

"No, I won't do it." Coulson said softly, lowering his gun. "I've seen too much blood already. Get Skye and get her medical help." he ordered. "Ward, we'll see what we do for you. But for the meantime,"

Ward heard a high-pitched shot and his vision went dark. He fell to the ground unconscious. One sentence escaped his lips before darkness took him, "I'm sorry… Skye…"

Coulson turned back to the team, "Get Skye. Get Ward. I don't want anyone dying. And… And they both look close to it."

* * *

><p>"<em>I don't think I deserve it; selflessness find your way into my heart. All stars could be brighter. All hearts could be warmer. Would would it take for things to be quiet? Find your way into my heart…."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Louder than Thunder' by The Devil Wears Prada. So yeah, I'm evil. But they're okay? Right? Right? I don't know. (Sorry if this was a little choppy, I've got a headache that won't let me think straight.) Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	12. Chapter 12 (What is Left)

**Chapter Twelve (What is Left)**

* * *

><p>"<em>I saw you from my window. I let you crawl inside. Your face became my shadow. You voice became my guide."<em>

* * *

><p>For what seemed like an eternity, the team waited in anguish to hear any good news about Skye. About two hours after she had been rushed to one of the infirmary rooms by a few medical agents and Simmons, Simmons came out to tell them the news.<p>

"How is she?" Coulson asked.

"Is she alive?" May asked.

"She's fine." Simmons said. "The shadow whatever it was missed her heart by an inch. She's stable and she will live. She's sleeping right now but the guess is that she'll wake up probably in an hour or two. Of course, she'll be really sore and other than the fact that she lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion, she's fine."

The team breathed a sigh of relief. Skye had risked her life to bring Ward out of whatever the hell had taken him over. And it worked, so far. Ward was currently in another infirmary room unconscious and really weak. Medical agents figured whatever the hell was wrong with him was slowly killing him.

They had him hooked up to all sorts of stuff to try to keep him stable, but in the past hour they had almost lost him. And no one knew what was wrong with him. No one knew what had made him into that monster. Only Ward knew the whole story. All the team knew was that the Obelisk was involved.

"When can we, ah, see her?" Fitz asked, speaking for everyone.

"Someone will let us know when she's awake." Simmons said. "And only three people at a time. There just can't be seven people in a room like that. And there's no telling how she will be when she wakes up."

"Come on, we'll all fit." Hunter joked.

"No, we can't, Lance." Bobbi said. "Have you seen the size of the infirmary rooms? They're small. Seven people can't all fit."

"She's right, Hunter." Trip added.

"We would be squishing each other to get in." Mack said.

"Fine." Hunter grumbled.

Coulson sighed, "Come on, there's still things we need to do." he said. "Like take care of Whitehall's body."

"He's still in there?" Hunter asked.

"We went straight into lockdown after he was killed." May said. "There wasn't time to do anything to his body."

"That's disgusting."

Coulson rolled his eyes, "Watch out, or i'll make you carry him up."

"Gross."

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh, what is left. I take what I can get and black out all the rest. What is left. Some words that I forget. And more I regret…"<em>

* * *

><p>(An Hour Later)<p>

Hunter and Trip stood outside of the lab talking.

"Good thing Coulson got someone else to get Whitehall." Hunter said. "There's no way in hell I would touch him."

"Come on, Lance, it's just a body." Trip responded.

"A _dead _one, plus it's Hydra. I don't want to be touching a dead Hydra body."

"Well, you do have a poi-" Triplett was cut off by a piercing shriek followed by a scream and a crash.

Their heads whipped around and looked down the hall towards the infirmary.  
>"What the bloody hell?!" Hunter exclaimed. "What was that?!"<p>

Triplett frowned, "I think we need to get there now." he stated. "That sounded like… It sounded like Ward."

"Which one?"

"The shriek."

"Oh."

"Something bad is going on, Lance." Trip continued. "Let's go, now."

Hunter nodded and the two agents ran down the hallway and stopped in the doorway of Ward's room, frozen at the sight they saw.

Ward was thrashing in the bed, three medical agents trying to restrain him. His eyes were glowing bright red again. One agent laid on the floor, unconscious bleeding from his head.

One of the agents yelled at them, trying to point to a tray, "Someone, get that syringe. Now!" he yelled.

"Help restrain him." Triplett said. "I'll get whatever the syringe is."

Hunter hesitated and then nodded, "O-Okay." he stammered, dashing over to help hold down the thrashing Ward.

Triplett ran and got the syringe of liquid and quickly handed it to one of the medical agents. The agent inserted the syringe into one of Ward's IVs and injected the liquid. Almost immediately, Ward tensed up and then relaxed. His eyes faded back to brown. Hunter and the agents let go of him and Ward passed out onto the bed.

"So, what was that?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, that's new." Triplett added.

"He, he.. I don't know." one of the medical agents replied. "We came in to check in on him. Last time we were in here, we was still unconscious. We tried checking one of his IVs and his eyes snapped open and he did whatever the hell that was." He pointed to the unconscious agent on the floor, "Knocked Diggle clear into the wall." He looked back to the unconscious Ward, "He's, he's not human."

Hunter eyed Triplett, "We know that." he said. "Get, um, Diggle there patched up. We'll tell Coulson about this."

* * *

><p>"<em>I came here alone, I thought you'd gone. I left you in bones at the end of the road… I came here alone. A lonely heart. I left you in bones at the end of the road."<em>

(Two Hours Later)

Skye groaned, peeling her eyes open to harsh, white light. She struggled to sit up in the bed she was in. God, her chest hurt. She blinked and looked around the room. Seeing that it was an infirmary room, she frowned. What the hell happened?

Then it hit her. The image of Ward's scared face imprisoned by the darkness formed in her mind. The blade of shadow going straight through her chest. She faintly remembered Ward crying out before she had slipped into unconsciousness. Did it work? Did she get him out of that mental prison? She wanted to know, but it seemed that she was stuck in the bed.

She heard a gasp. Skye frowned and looked over to the door, seeing Simmons standing there. "Jemma?" she asked.

"Oh thank God, you're awake." Simmons said, running over. "D-Do you remember what happened?" she asked, starting to check Skye's vitals.

"Slightly." Skye said. "I remember Ward fighting to escape whatever that was, I was calling out to him. Then something went through my chest and I went to the ground. I faintly remember Ward calling out before I passed out. Where is he?" she asked.

Simmons took a breath, "He's… He's not doing well."

Skye's face fell, "What?"  
>"He's been unconscious for a few hours now." Simmons said. "And we almost lost him once."<p>

"Lost him? He almost _died_?"

Simmons nodded, "Yes. Whatever is wrong with him, it's trying to kill him. And just by looking at him you can tell he's close to death. He's pale, eyes are sunken in."

"He didn't look like that back on the island, and that was what? Two days ago?" Skye asked.

"Whatever is wrong with him, it's working fast. And we don't even know what could possibly be wrong with him. Other than the thing you said about him mumbling about the Obelisk 'changing' him, no one knows. Nothing like this has never been encountered before."

"I don't know either."

"And, he did wake up about two hours ago." Simmons said. "But briefly."

"What?"

"Medical agents were trying to check his IVs and he snapped awake and went into some kind of rage fit. He knocked one of them unconscious, and if it weren't for Hunter and Triplett being nearby and helping them hold him down and sedate him, he could've killed the agents. Whatever that beast was, it's still there." Simmons said.

Skye's stomach dropped. So Ward was still there, but partially. And the beast… it still could come back at any minute. Ward was still fighting for control of his own mind and body, and he was currently losing. And only time would tell who would win the fight.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm trying to evade you. I'm trying to be kind. One, solemn night I'll take you down the barrel of my gun."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'What is Left' by Demon Hunter. So Skye's okay and awake, just sore and disoriented. But Ward's dying, the beast still trying to take complete control. Only time will tell what happens next. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	13. Chapter 13 (What's Inside My Head)

**Chapter Thirteen (What's Inside My Head)**

* * *

><p>"<em>I feel fine and I can smile. But I feel the anger coming. It's underneath. I don't know why, it's always overflowing. It's a constant fight, deep inside. And I wanna forget it."<em>

* * *

><p>(The Next Day)<p>

Skye grimaced as she heard Ward scream from down the hall. She had no clue to what was going on with him right now. No one would tell her how he was other than 'not well'. But she knew he was fighting, he was in pain. He was fighting against a monster that was in his very head. A fight that he was losing.

She stared at the opposite wall, expecting someone to walk in at any moment. For the past day since she woke up it had been nothing but people coming in and out. Medical agents, Simmons, Coulson, May, you name it. They were all relieved that she was alive and well, but their attention turned to Ward as he was getting worse and worse by the very second.

The beast was slowly and painfully killing him, trying to win control over him. Soon there would be nothing left of him, only a shell and a monster. And Skye feared for the day he was completely gone.

She tried to block out another agonizing scream, but she couldn't. Every so often Ward would let out a soul-piercing scream, like he was being tortured. And he probably was mentally.

"It's bothering you too?"

Skye looked to the doorway, seeing Fitz walking into the room with Hunter. She nodded.

Hunter sighed, "Sounds like he's putting up a massive fight in there. Must be having one hell of a nightmare. The med agents say he's out, he's asleep. Must be a nightmare."

Skye gulped, "And I don't want to know what the nightmare's about if he's in this much pain."

"But I don't, ah, understand." Fitz stated. "Why was Ward with Hydra anyways? That's where the Obelisk was at. Why was he there?"

Skye shook her head, "I have no clue. It probably wasn't good. But he, he saved me from being kidnapped by my psycho father. And I want to know why."

"I don't think you might ever get the chance to ask him." Hunter said. "He's in bad shape. Whatever's in him is flat out killing him. Docs think he's not gonna make it much longer. And I don't want to know what happens after he dies."

"You know, I, I wanted him to, uh, pay for what he did to me and Simmons. What he did to all of us." Fitz said. "But seeing him like this, I take it back. No one deserves this level of pain. Not even him."

Skye didn't know what to think. Yes, Ward had betrayed and hurt them all, but in the end he did protect her from getting kidnapped by her own father. And now Ward was a victim to his own mind. At the moment Ward's mind was an abomination, trying its best to kill him.

And it was winning.

* * *

><p>"<em>I confess I'm always afraid, always ashamed of what's inside me. I confess I'm always afraid, always ashamed of what's inside my head."<em>

* * *

><p>(Elsewhere)<p>

Ward screamed out in agony as he stood waist-deep in warm, crimson blood. Darkness surrounded him. Soul-shattering shrieks assaulted him from all directions, calling him countless, dehumanizing things, trying to break him into thousands of pieces.

He waded through the thickening blood, trying to find his way out of the darkness. He held his hands against his ears, trying to block out the screams.

"_Why the hell did you try to do anything for us?! We don't want anything from you, you soulless bastard!"  
><em>"_Face it, you've become the monster you've were always destined to be. Let it consume you. That's all you are anyways."_

"_Just die already, you're better off dead. Or should we do it for you?"_

"_Don't try to help anymore, no matter how much you want to. All you do is send everything to hell. You're not capable of good anymore. Just go back to hell."_

"_Die already!"_

Ward tried to move on through the blood, but the screams were too much. And it didn't help that they were the screams of the people he once called his team. Their hate of him was being thrown at him like knives.

Then he saw them, the bodies floating in the sea of blood. They were all… Them…. All dead as a doornail, pale as a sheet, and ripped apart by what seemed like claw gouges.

Coulson. Fitz. Simmons. May. Triplett. And… Skye… They were all dead. All brutally killed by an unknown force.

He held his hands out towards them, calling out to them. But they wouldn't respond, they were all gone. He about threw up as he saw the blood staining his hands. He brought them back towards him and stared in absolute horror at the crimson liquid covering them.

Then it hit him. _He _was the one that had ripped the team apart piece by piece with his bare hands. _He was the one that killed them._

But how? He didn't remember doing it, he just knew that he was the one that killed them.

A growl sounded in the distance of this horrible nightmare. No, not nightmare, _night terror._ It seemed so real, but he knew that it couldn't possibly be real. But he couldn't wake up, he couldn't escape.

He glanced back to the mangled bodies of the team, then back to his blood-stained hands. His knees felt weak as the growls grew louder and harsher. The sea of blood started to rise, quickly approaching his chest. Ward screamed out, trying to keep himself afloat in the blood. But he was starting to down in the foul, red liquid.

The shadows started to swirl around him once again, morphing into the shape of the best. It hovered over the sea, approaching him. It hissed as the blood lapped at the base of Ward's neck. God, it smelled horrible. Ward started to cough violently at the smell of the blood, only making him struggle more in the pull of the blood.

The beast approached him even more, and Ward felt himself growing weaker, fading. Was this dying? Was he headed into death? In a way, he hoped that he was. He didn't want to live through this hell anymore. He wanted to die.

The last thing he saw was the beast's red, piercing eyes as the blood rose past his head. The blood filled his mouth, nose and ears. He couldn't breathe. He struggled to swim towards the surface, but he couldn't move. He was suspended in the red liquid.

Pain felt his fleeting body as he screamed out in the sea of blood. Darkness overtook his vision, and the blood was gone. There was nothing.

* * *

><p>"<em>And I can breathe, and I still feel. But not the way I want to. I'm on the edge. I don't know how I can escape this nightmare."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Confession (What's Inside My Head)' by Red. Ward's not doing well, and he's fighting for control of his own mind still. (Note the horrible dream.) Is he gonna be okay? Maybe? I don't know. (I don't know when I'll be able to update next since I have things at church to do tomorrow night and Saturday night for three hours each, so be patient with the next one.) Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	14. Chapter 14 (Waking Up the Ghost)

**Chapter Fourteen (Waking Up the Ghost)**

* * *

><p>"<em>No one knows the secrets that I keep. No one knows what's in my head. I can't control the other side of me. I have lost my breath. Breaking. The pulse of a steady beat. Pleading for sanity. The voices calling out my name"<em>

* * *

><p>(Two Days Later)<p>

Skye walked up and down the infirmary hall. She had been allowed out of her room earlier in the day, but she was only to be on the infirmary hall. She couldn't leave and go off into the base. Considering the fact that she was still weak, this was probably for the better.

She had medical agents watching her every move, and even Hunter and Trip were on the hallway watching her. They were also there to help in case Ward lashed out again in one of his fits. And he hadn't had one in a while, tensions were high around the base because everyone was fearing that a fit would happen soon.

They never knew what would happen with these fits, the past two times they had been lucky enough that they were able to sedate him before anything happened. They feared the beast would show itself again if they didn't handle him in time.

Skye glanced at the closed door to Ward's room as she passed it for like the tenth time. It was kept closed to keep anyone unwanted out. Only medical agents, Simmons, Coulson, and May were allowed in. Currently Ward was still out, probably trapped in another nightmare. Skye hadn't heard a scream from him since the previous day, so she really didn't know.

She had no clue to what was going on inside of his head. And she didn't want to know. Skye figured that whatever was going on in there, it was horrible torture. Something that no one should face.

She stopped as she saw a pair of medical agents go into Ward's room and close the room behind them. They were probably checking on him, nothing out of the ordinary. But that didn't stop Skye from holding her breath, watching the closed door. She tensed up in the foreboding quiet of the hallway, noticing Hunter and Trip glancing down the hallway. She knew something bad was about to happen, the feeling just hung in the air.

And she was right. A shriek pierced the stagnant air, followed by two screams. The door flung open and the two medical agents came running full speed out of the room and down the hallway. Skye stood frozen in place as she saw Ward standing in the middle of the infirmary room, eyes blazing red once again.

"Skye, get away!" Hunter yelled as he and Triplett came running towards her with ICERs.

Skye stepped back as the two agents burst into the room, carefully pointing the ICERs at Ward.

"Yo, Ward, calm down." Triplett said calmly. "No ones gonna hurt you. You're just gonna hurt someone else. Calm down."

Triplett's plea didn't seem a faze Ward. He face contorted into a snarl and the started to step towards the two agents, darkness once again swirling around him.

"Oi, just take a breath." Hunter said quickly. "Don't do this. You snapped out of this once before."

Again, it didn't faze Ward.

The two agents stepped back as Ward came closer.

"Dude, please." Triplett pleaded.

"Grant!" Skye yelled, coming into the room. "Snap out of it!"

Hunter and Triplett both looked at her like she was completely crazy.

"Skye, don't do this." Hunter said. "Remember what happened last time."

"I know that. But it seems like I'm the only one that can get to him." Skye replied. "I've got to try again." She turned back to the snarling Ward. "Grant, look, it's me." she said calmly. "I'm alive. No ones going to hurt you, we just want to find a way to help you. I'm fine. You didn't kill me. Please, for me, snap out of it. I know you're in there."

Ward's face twitched, the shadows started to diminish.

Triplett raised an eyebrow, "Skye, whatever you're doing, it seems to be working. Keep going."

"Grant, we're not going to kill you. No one is out to get you." Skye said, looking Ward firmly in the eyes. "We'll help you, we just want to find out what's wrong with you. We want to know what has happened to you. And that can't happen if you kill one of us. Please for me, snap out of it."

She smiled as she watched Ward's face relax and the shadows completely disappear. He blinked in confusion, his eyes returning to normal, "Skye?" he asked. "W-What happened? Where am I?" he asked. He wobbled and started to fall to the ground, but Hunter and Triplett shot forward and caught him.

"Let's get your bloody ass in the bed, shall we?" Hunter joked. He looked back to Skye, "Whatever you did, it worked." he said. "But looks like he's still weak. The med agents probably need to come back in here."

Hunter and Trip helped Ward back into the bed, where he sat up staring off into the distance.

Triplett turned around, "I'll find med agents that are willing to come in here, I know that the ones that were just in here won't be coming back anytime soon." He walked out of the room.

"I'll get Coulson." Hunter said, following Trip. "He'll probably want to know that the bloke's awake. Well, I think he's awake."

Skye turned back to Ward as the two agents left the room. It hurt to look at him, he looked so sick, so weak. His skin was as pale as a sheet, his eyes were sunken in and glassed over like he was in a fog. And he almost looked thinner. The monster that was inside of him was literally killing him from the inside out.

He stared off into space, his coherence from earlier most likely gone.

"Grant?" she asked quietly. "Are you still there?"

No response.

Skye gulped, not knowing what to do. She was glad he was finally awake after like four days of being in and out of unconscious and fits of rage. But he still wasn't totally there. She wanted to say something, but she just didn't know what.

She took a breath.

Then came one question croaked out with a weak, quiet voice, "Did I… Kill anyone?" he asked softly.

"You…" Skye started.

"Skye, I know I did…."

"Whitehall and my father. You, no not you. It killed them. That wasn't you. I saw it for myself and that was surely not you." Skye said. "You were its slave, it kept you captive while you fought against it."

"And it made me… It made me almost kill you…"

"Look, Grant, I'm here. I'm not dead, I'm fine. I've got a massive bandage on my chest, but I'm alive." Skye responded.

"You don't know what it's like…" Ward said weakly, slowly looking at her. His glassed-over eyes looking at her. "In here…" He pointed a shaky finger at his head. "It's nothing but screams… And pain… It's hell."

"You'll be okay."

"No, I'll never be okay. It'll always be a constant fight in my head, something else living inside of it. Look what I got for just wanting to take down Hydra and let you finally see your father…."

Skye's face fell, "Wait, what?" she asked.

"I-I was with Hydra to try and take down Whitehall… Like I did with that Bakshi guy. And I was going to keep my promise of taking you to your father, I just didn't realize that he was such a psycho."

"Then you protected me from him."

Ward nodded weakly, "Then the monster got in the way. And it all went to hell. I don't remember much from the past week. It's all in small chunks, here and there." He looked strongly at Skye, "Skye?"

"Yes?"

"Please tell me what I did. Or, or what it did. Just tell me. Because I was responsible for all of it, even in the slightest way."

* * *

><p>"<em>Now I'm afraid that I'm am waking up the ghost. Not digging up the memories that were dead to me. Now, now I'm getting close. Closer to the enemy that's inside of me. Under the skin, the soul of the guilty. Under the surface, lonely lies. Under the weight, the sin is eating me alive. No mercy, no forgiveness. Condemn to my own hell. The voices calling out my name."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>** I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Waking Up the Ghost' by 10 Years. So Ward seems to be awake after a small fit, but will it stay like this? And he is weighed down by a mountain of guilt from the attacks, even after Skye told him it wasn't his fault. Not good. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	15. Chapter 15 (Demons)

**Chapter Fifteen (Demons)**

* * *

><p>"<em>When the days are cold, and the card all fold. And the saints we see are all made of gold. When your dreams all fail. And the ones we hail are the worst of all, and the blood's run stale. I wanna hide the truth. I wanna shelter you. But with the beast inside, there's nowhere we can hide."<em>

* * *

><p>Skye gulped, "Grant, I already told you that that wasn't you. You weren't in control."<p>

"But my foolishness started it all." Ward weakly replied. "I was a fool, and it created a monster in return."

Skye's face fell, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I was in Hydra, like I told you, to take down Whitehall. And he and your father were getting ready to go to the island, to Attilan. And the Diviner, the Obelisk, has there. I was asked to watch over it for a while and your father specifically told me not to touch it." Ward explained, pain in his eyes. "But for some reason, it started reacting to me, and I was just in the room. I didn't listen to your father's warnings as he came bursting into the room a little while later as I was reaching for it.

I picked it up, and it started to glow. I had no clue what was going on. Then there was pain. I fell over and after that it's all a blur." he continued. "I woke up sometime later with your father in the room. And he knew exactly what happened to me."

Skye blinked, "He did?" she asked. "How? What happened to you?"

She saw Ward gulp, his eyes starting to look weaker, "He called it…. He called it Terragensis I think." he replied. "Something about a race called the Inhumans, beings that were created by aliens called the Kree or something. Mixed human DNA with Kree DNA, creating them. Apparently the Inhumans came to Earth and built Attilan and bred into the human race.

There's descendants today, that's what he said I was. The descendants have powers 'locked' inside of them. And the Diviner 'unlocked' them. They are not powers, it created a whole other being. A monster I can't control." he continued. "It created a curse, something I have to live with for the rest of my life."

"Grant, we can find a way.."

"There's no help for me, Skye." Ward said solemnly, looking at her with weak eyes. "There's nothing you can do for me. I going to be stuck like this forever, if I live, fighting against something that's inside of my head. A battle I'm always going to lose."

Skye didn't know what to say. It hurt to see him like this, frail and sick. He had deteriorated in a matter of days. It had been like a week since the Terragenesis had happened to him, and he had fallen this fast.

She didn't want to know how much longer he had before he was gone and only the monster stood. She feared for the day Grant Ward was pronounced dead, but something still lived on in his body. Something that would be the end of the team itself.

"You're going to okay." That was all Skye was able to conjure up to say. That's all she had the heart to say.

"It's never going to be okay." Ward almost snapped. "Stop trying to make it better. I'm probably going to die soon, I won't be here anymore. I created my own hell. And all I wanted to do was protect you… I just wanted to do something for the team… And look where the hell it got me…"

Skye stepped slightly back, taken by surprise by Ward's sudden change in tone. Afraid that something was going to happen. "Grant…"

Ward noticed that she was starting to grow afraid of him. His face fell, melting into sadness, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" He turned his weak gaze from Skye back to the wall, "I don't want to talk anymore."

"Grant,"

"I said I don't want to talk anymore." he said quietly, staring at the white wall.

Skye gulped and nodded slightly, "Ok." she said softly, trying not to say anything that would anger him. "Just get some rest, ok?"

No response.

Skye sighed and started to leave the room. She knew that it was a struggle for Ward to talk to her. He was weak, he was dying. Hell, he was fighting against his own mind. Skye was surprised that he was that coherent to talk to her. But that didn't last long. She returned to her room with a heavy heart.

* * *

><p>"<em>No matter what we breed, we are still made of greed. This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come. When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It's where my demons hide. It's where my demons hide. Don't get too close, it's dark inside. It's where my demons hide. It's where my demons hide."<em>

* * *

><p>Skye wasn't surprised to see Coulson when she returned to her room. He let her return to her bed before he said anything.<p>

"How is he?" Coulson asked.

"Not good." Skye replied, settling into her bed. "Why didn't you show up in his room?"

"I didn't want to interfere, thought it was best for him to talk to someone he cares about." Coulson responded. "I guess it really didn't work though, did it?"

Skye shook her head, "Not really. For a while it did. And he told me some interesting things before he stopped talking."

Coulson raised an eyebrow, "Really? Like what?" he asked.

"He was with Hydra before the attacks on the island." Skye said. "But he was simply in there to take down Whitehall, like he did with Bakshi."

"What?"

Skye continued to tell Coulson everything that Ward had told her, even the part about her father.

Coulson blinked, trying to take everything in. He didn't know what to say. "So, he just wanted to help us?" he asked, dumbfounded. "That's all he wanted to do? And his efforts only led to him becoming a monster called an Inhuman? He just wanted to help?"

"Coulson, I know that you find it really hard to believe, but I think Ward was telling the truth, even if he isn't in his right mind. He protected me from my psycho father back on the island. I was going to be kidnapped by his ass, you know. Ward stopped him, even if he killed him. And same with Whitehall. He intended to bring him to us, but the beast got in the way and killed him." Skye said.

Coulson gulped, "Yes, I don't know what to think." he said. "It's a lot to take in. I want to ask him myself, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to. Skye, this is serious stuff. This is something that really needs to be clarified before I decide what to do with him."

Skye nodded slightly, "Please, Coulson, don't do anything rash. Something rash may mark our deaths. Think about it all before you decide. But Ward's dying, I saw it in his eyes. And the med agents say it too. He doesn't have long. If this is true, we should make it good for him at the very least."

Coulson sighed, "I'll see what I can do." he said. "Just wish I could talk to him and ask him myself."

But Coulson probably would never be able to. That one conversation just moments before marked Ward's last moment of coherence for days to come. Darkness would soon come to the base, and the team just didn't know it.

* * *

><p>"<em>When the curtain's fall is the last of all. When the lights fade out, all the sinners crawl. So they dug your grave and the masquerade will come calling out at the mess you made. Don't wanna let you down, but I am hell bound. Though this is all for you, don't wanna hide the truth."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Demons' by Imagine Dragons. Cliffhanger, right? Yep. Darkness is to come to the Playground, but is it the beast's or a totally different entity's wrath? What threatens the agents this time? (Figured out how to make this fic longer, and it flows pretty well.) Can you guess what the threat is? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	16. Chapter 16 (Fade Into the Ocean)

**Chapter Sixteen (Fade Into the Ocean)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Broken shoulders resting on my back, overloaded with a weight stacked higher and higher. Time runs tired. Silence falls into the deafening. Sirens of my own epiphany. Silence falls into the deafening. Sirens of my own epiphany. My own mortality."<em>

* * *

><p>(The Next Day)<p>

"You ok?"

Skye turned her head to see Fitzsimmons both coming into the infirmary room. She slowly shook her head, "Not really." she muttered.

Fitzsimmons both grimaced as a shriek from Ward echoed into the room.

"He's still unconscious?" Fitz asked.

Simmons sighed, "He fell unconscious again last night, he hasn't woken up since. He's worse off today. Skye, he doesn't have long." she said quietly.

Skye's face fell, "W-What?" she stammered. "What do you mean?"

"Med agents have determined he won't last the next couple of days." Simmons said. "He's extremely weak. His other side is literally draining him from the inside out. He's skin and bones, he's pale. And he doesn't have much of a heart rate or respiration rate. He's barely holding on. It's like the monster is eating him from the inside out, taking every last bit of strength he has."

Skye turned her gaze to the room's small window, "He's gonna die soon, isn't he?" she said solemnly.

Simmons took a breath, "I would be surprised if he makes it through the night. Skye, he's way worse than when you saw him yesterday. I'm surprised he's still here."

Fitz shuttered as another shriek pierced the air, "Guess he's not gonna go peacefully, is he?" he asked quietly.

"Fitz, I-I don't want even want to think about any of this right now." Skye muttered. "Please, I just don't want to."

Fitz nodded, "Sorry." he mumbled. "I-I can go get you something to eat. Do you want that?"

"No." Skye muttered.

Simmons walked over and placed a caring hand on Skye's shoulder, "Look, Skye, it's all going to be okay." she said softly. "Maybe we can find a way to save him soon."

Skye shook her head numbly, "That's not going to happen, is it?" she asked. "He told me that he can't be saved. That monster is going to kill him and only it will stand. He's gonna be no more."

Simmons sighed, "Skye, just keep your hopes up." she said. "Maybe something good will happen overnight. Everything's gonna be okay."

Her and Fitz said bye and left Skye to herself.

Skye looked down at the white sheets of her bed, "How can you say that when you just say he's not going to make the night?" she muttered. "Just how?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Here I lie with my regrets. Possession petty meaningless. You are my medicine. Healing me with tenderness. Don't go, don't go…."<em>

* * *

><p>(The Next Day)<p>

Hunter stood near Skye's bed, talking with her. It had been a quiet night. Ward had survived the night and he hadn't been trapped in a never ending nightmare either. So it had been really quiet, almost too quiet.

"So she runs straight into the door." Hunter laughed. "Can you believe it?"

Skye smiled the best she could, "And that was Bobbi?"

Hunter nodded, "Yep. Don't know how she managed to do that though. She never does anything like that."

The two laughed and continued talking, until the rush of medical agents down the hallway stopped Skye mid sentence.

She jumped up off of the bed, "What's going on?!" she exclaimed.

Hunter held her back from running out of the room, knowing what exactly was going on. "Skye, no." he said softly. "Let them do their job."

"He's dying isn't he?!"

"We don't know that."

"_We're losing him! Start CPR and bring me the defibrillator! Now! We're going to lose him!"_

Skye's face turned stark-white and she started to struggle against Hunter's grip, "Let me go, Lance!" she yelled. "Let me go!"

"No, Skye, stay in here." Hunter said quietly. "I don't think that there's anything that you can do."

"_Clear!"_

"Lance, please, I have to see him!" Skye screamed. "Let go of my damn arms!"

"Skye, no." Hunter replied. "You can't do anything. He's too far gone. The med agents already said that. There's nothing you can do."

"_Again! It's not working! Clear!"_

"Like hell I am going to let you force me here while Grant is dying!" Skye growled, shoving Hunter into the wall. "I'm not going to stand by while he's devoured by the monster!"

Skye ran out into the hallway, past Hunter who was now running after her.

"Skye, stop! Don't go into there!" he yelled. "Let the agents do their jobs!"  
>Skye burst into Ward's room, five medical agents and Simmons standing around Ward's bed. Her knees buckled as she heard the words she had been dreading for days.<p>

"Time of death, 1:06 PM."

Skye fell to her knees as she watched an agent cover Ward's body up with a white sheet. The agents walked away, feeling defeated since they couldn't save his life.

Simmons saw Skye. She quickly walked over and kneeled down next to her, tears in her eyes, "Skye, I'm sorry." she said quietly. "We tried, there was nothing that we could do. He was too far gone for us to save. He's gone."

Skye shook her head, "N-No, h-he can't. He can't be gone." she cried, tears running down her face. "H-how?"

"I guess his, um, other side did it's business. But we tried, I'm sorry."

Skye shook her head again, "It's not your fault." she mumbled. "It's not. Go get Coulson and, and tell him."

Simmons nodded numbly and got up and went to find Coulson.

Skye continued to stare numbly at the ground, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Hunter standing beside her with a small, caring smile, "What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Skye, I'm sorry." he said softly. "I know you wanted to say goodbye, but sometimes the world doesn't work in our favor. I know that because of Hartley, she was gone before I even knew what happened."

"But why? Why is he gone?"

Hunter gulped, "I-I don't know. Honestly, I don't. The world… It works in strange ways. Maybe it was his time." He held out his hand to her, "Come on, lass, you don't need to be staying in here much longer." He glance sadly at the sheet covering Ward's body, "Let's get you somewhere else until we can figure out what to do. Okay?"

Skye gulped, glancing in melancholy at Ward's covered body. "F-Fine." she mumbled, and took Hunter's hand.

He pulled her to her feet, "Everything's going to be okay." he said tenderly, leading her out of the melancholy-filled room. He added quietly to himself, "I hope."

But of course nothing was going to be okay, something else lurked in waiting that was a danger to the team. Something that would take advantage of their time of weakness. And they just didn't know.

But the day had come. The day everyone had been fearing for the past few days. The day that marked Grant Ward's death.

* * *

><p>"<em>... Broken body crumbles into dust. Weight is lifter sending me with love. Higher and higher, time expired. The silent come, reawakening. Pass me on, into eternity. The silent come, reawakening. Passing on into eternity. Cry no more for me."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Fade Into (The Ocean) by 10 Years. I'm evil, I'm probably Hydra. So Ward's day has finally come and he is no more. But something else lurks in the base, but what is it? Probably evil. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan._  
><em>


	17. Chapter 17 (Let It Burn)

**Chapter Seventeen (Let It Burn)**

* * *

><p>"<em>I watch the city burn. These dreams like ashes float away. Your voice I never heard, only silence. Where were you when our hearts were bleeding? Where were you when it all crashed down? Never thought that you'd deceive me. Where are you now?"<em>

* * *

><p>(Thirty Minutes After Grant Ward's Death)<p>

"How did he go?" Coulson asked solemnly. "Was it peaceful at least?"

Simmons sadly shook her head, "Unfortunately, he didn't." she said quietly. "He went into cardiac arrest and we couldn't bring him back. We lost him just like that, after all of this."

Hunter wrapped a caring arm around Skye's shoulders, "Listen love," he whispered to her. "It's going to be okay. At least he's no longer suffering."

Skye tried to keep an emotionless face, but she couldn't. Tears started to stream down her face again. "It's not gonna be okay.." she muttered.

May took a breath, "What do we do now?" she asked. "This, this is done. Whitehall's dead, so we're not pursuing him anymore. Do we go back to the island and start searching again?" May's emotions were still in check, not showing much emotion to the fact that Ward had just passed. Even though she despised him, she thought that the way he went was one of the worse ways to go. She actually felt pity for the pain he had went through.

And that's how the entire team felt, with the exception of Mack, Hunter, and Bobbi, they never really knew him. The team hated him, but as they watched him slowly spiral down into nothing, something changed in them. They knew that no one had to suffer like that.

Ward had went through hell just to help the team slightly, and he never returned from the abyss. And he would never return.

Coulson sighed, "I guess that's the way to go." he said, his voice lacking its usual vigor.

"Nothing else is going to happen, is it?" Mack asked.

"Yeah, we don't need another tragedy on our hands." Bobbi said. "Coulson, I think we should just wait a while before pursuing the temple again. Ward's death needs taken in before you throw us into another fight." She looked to the sobbing Skye, "Some of us can't handle action right now."

Coulson took a breath and nodded, "Fine, I guess the island can wait a few days until we've all recovered. And Skye wouldn't be going for a while anyways, she's still recovering from last time." He ran a hand through his hair and turned around, facing the wall, "I just can't believe he's gone after all of this. I know we were pursuing him all this time, but watching him suffer like that, no one should go through that.

I know the pain of dying. It's hell incarnate. Slowly pleading to die, but you can't. That's a whole 'nother punishment itself. Whatever forces are watching over him dealt out their judgement on him, in the worse way possible."

The team blinked, not realizing how much Ward's death had affected Coulson this much.

"Sir, I didn't realize that you felt that way." Triplett said.

"I don't like the man, I don't." Coulson responded. "It's just that I don't think he deserved to die so slowly and painfully like that. There was a time I wanted him to suffer for what he did to us." He gave a glance towards Fitz, whose face fell. "But after everything, the punishment's not worth it. To watch someone go like that, it's a whole 'nother hell. If he really just wanted to help, we won't get the chance to now." Coulson sighed once more and walked out of the room, leaving the team to themselves.

"But, the beast… It's not gonna come back is it?" Fitz asked meekly. "Since Ward's gone, does that mean it's gone too?"

Hunter took a long breath, watching Skye walk out of the room in a cloud of melancholy, "Let's hope not, we've got enough going on."

* * *

><p>"<em>How long can you stand the pain? How long will you hid your face? How long will you be afraid? Are you afraid? How long will you play this game? Will you fight or will you walk away? How long will you let it burn? Let it burn, let it burn."<em>

* * *

><p>(Two Days After Grant Ward's Death)<p>

"Skye, don't worry." Simmons said, giving Skye a reassuring look. "Coulson promised a nice, proper, little burial for Ward on the grounds. He said it's the least he can do."

Skye took a ragged breath, looking down at the floor of her living quarters from her bed. "I want him back."

"Skye, he's… He's not coming back." Fitz said solemnly. "Sometimes things like this happen, whether we want them to or not. No matter how painful, not matter how, ah, heartbreaking, we've still got to go on."

Skye nodded numbly, wiping her nose with her hand, "I-I guess you're right…" she muttered. "Crying over him won't bring him back. I've got to be strong. He wouldn't want me like this over him. Coulson was right, at least he's not suffering anymore." She looked back to the floor.

"Come on, lets-" Simmons never finished her sentence.

Skye frowned, "Jemma?" she asked, looking up. "Fitz?" Fitzsimmons were both gone from the spots they were sitting beside her on her bed. They had vanished.

Skye jumped up to her feet, "Leo?! Jemma?!" she cried out, looking frantically around the room. She froze as she felt a hand rest onto her shoulder.

"I've finally found you again…"

"Wha?!" Skye spun around, knocking the hand off of her shoulder. She froze as she came face to face once again with the scarred countenance _of her dead father._ Her face fell, "H-How?" she stammered. "You're dead! How?! What did you do to Fitzsimmons?!"

The Doctor smiled slightly, "Oh, those two? Don't worry, I only sent them elsewhere. They're fine. But I've finally found you again…"

"I told you! I am not going anywhere with your psycho ass!" Skye screamed, backing away from her father. "How the hell are you alive?!"

He smiled, "It takes more than a simple stab through the heart to kill me." he teased. "Your 'great protector' failed. Where is he now anyways?" he asked.

Skye's face fell once again, "He's dead." she said simply, trying not to cry. "He died from the beast that was inside of him."

The Doctor couldn't help but to smile, "Oh, that's too bad. He got what was coming to him."

_WHACK._

The Doctor stumbled back as Skye's fist connected with his nose with a sickening crunch.

"Do not talk about him like that." Skye hissed. "Now go the hell away and leave me the hell alone. I do not want to go with you."

He frowned, "That's not going to work." he stated. "I'm not going to give up that easily." He grabbed Skye by the arm, "You are coming with me."

Skye screamed out as her world disappeared from her vision and the two disappeared from the room.

Her scream echoed out of the room and into the hallways. And not too long afterwards, a low growl reverberated back through the stark quiet.

* * *

><p>"<em>I watch the city burn. These passions slowly smoldering. A lesson never learned. Only violence. Is your world just a broken promise? Is your love just a drop of rain? Will we all burn like fire? <em>_**Are you still there?**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Let It Burn' by Red. So guess who's back. Yep, I went there. So where's it gonna go next? I don't know. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	18. Chapter 18 (Dance With The Devil)

**Chapter Eighteen (Dance With The Devil)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Here I stand, helpless and left for dead. Close your eyes, so many days go by. Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right. I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all of your empty lies. I won't stay long in this world so wrong."<em>

* * *

><p>When Skye opened her eyes, she found herself in what seemed to be a large storage closet within the depths of the Playground. She spun around, confronting her father again. "Why the hell are we in a closet?!" she exclaimed.<p>

Her father narrowed his one, good eye, "Something's off here, I can't get away." he muttered. "I can't figure out what it is anyways."

"Yeah, it's you." Skye scoffed. "Now let me go."

He frowned, "Listen, sweetie," he began.

"Don't call me sweetie!" Skye cut in. "If you're gonna call me anything, call me Skye. That's my name, not sweetie."

"Skye isn't your name either!" her father growled. "It never has been!"

Skye tried to keep a emotionless face, "Then what is it?" she asked. "What is my actual name?"

"Daisy, your name is Daisy."

Skye's face fell, "Daisy? It's Daisy?" she asked.

"Look, I have so much more to tell you." he said. "Please, I can tell you all you want to know if you just come with me."

"I'm not going with your damn ass!" Skye growled. "First of all, this is the second time you've tried to kidnap me, that's not the best thing for a first impression. Two, you're a psychotic murderer. I won't go with you. Three, I don't even know your name. Why would I go with you after all of this?"

"Cal…." he muttered.

Skye raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"My name is Cal."

"Well, at least you have a name." Skye scoffed. "But that still doesn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere with you. Now let me out of this damn storage room and get the hell out of here."

She pushed past her father, headed towards the room's door, but a hand stopped her, fiercely grabbing her shoulder.

"You are not going anywhere!" Cal roared. "Not after all of this! And there's no one to stop me this time! No Whitehall, no Hydra, no SHIELD. And not your monstrous boyfriend of yours."

"He's not my boyfriend." Skye stated coldly. "And besides, he's dead. He's been dead for two days now. And don't call him a monster, that wasn't him."

"You say you don't love him, yet you continue to defend him." Cal stated. "You're contradicting yourself now."

"And how about you shut the hell up." Skye growled.

Cal's face fell, "I am not going anywhere without you. I've been through way too much to give up again." He pointed at his ruined eye, "I didn't lose an eye just to give up. And I as sure as hell didn't get stabbed straight through the chest just to give up." He grabbed Skye's arm again, even tighter this time. "I am not giving up."

She tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but it was too tight. "Let go of me!" she screamed. "Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere with you!" She kicked at his legs.

"Give it up! You're coming with me and that's final!" he roared. "Now!"

"_Skye?! Where are you?!"_

Skye's face lit up, "Jemma?! Jemma!" she cried, hearing Simmons' voice. "Jem-"

Cal clasped a hand over her mouth, "Do not do that." he growled, wild anger in his eyes. "Do not bring them in here. You are coming with me without putting up a fight."

"_Skye, are you here?!" _Hunter and Bobbi.

"_Skye?" _Coulson and May.

"_Skye?!" _Fitzsimmons.

Skye struggled against her father's grip, screaming from underneath his hand.

"Shhh… Screaming won't do anything. We're gonna leave now." he whispered. "Hopefully it will work this time. Damn device has something interfering with it. Don't know what it is though."

Cal didn't hear the deep growl echo from the corners of the room, and the darkness starting to pool on the floor. But Skye saw this, her eyes widening in fear.

How? Just how? He was dead, so how was _it _back? Unless Ward's warnings were true. The beast had completely taken over the shell of a body that once had been Ward's.

Cal's eyes drifted to Skye's shrunken pupils. He frowned, "What's wrong?" he asked. "There's nothing to be afraid of, well I don't think."

The shadows started to swirl around faster behind Cal's back, starting to meld into the shape of a man.

Skye struggled in Cal's grasp so she could get away before _it _appeared. She screamed again, her body shaking.

Cal frowned, "What's the matter? Am I really that scary?" he asked. "Tell me, what's the ma-" He didn't get to finish, because something drove through his shoulder, stopping him mid sentence.

Skye stumbled back, free of her father's grip, She fell onto the ground, and scampered back towards the storage room door. She watched in trepidation as the shadow form swiveled around, revealing its blood-red eyes.

Cal spun around, clutching his shoulder. His face fell as soon as he saw what had stabbed him, "You!" he growled. "How?! I was told you were dead!"

No verbal response, only a harsh growl.

Cal looked harshly at his daughter, who sat frozen in fear against the door, "You told me he was dead!" he screamed, anger growing again.

Skye shook her head numbly, "I did. _He _is dead, but I think _it _survived." she muttered.

The beast growled again, approaching Cal slowly, shadows swirling around its feet.

Cal backed up, holding up a hand, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, "Look now, we just had a little misunderstanding." he said. "You've already killed me once, that didn't work. Let's just go ahead and call it, let's not do anything that one of us is gonna regret."

Skye frowned. Was her father trying to _rationalize _with the beast? The beast only knew one thing, and that was death. It wasn't going to listen, it was only going to kill again.

Cal pointed at Skye, "And you don't want to kill me again right in front of her, do you?" he asked. "She may not want to go with me, but there's so much she wants to ask me. Killing me won't do a single damn thing."

Skye watched in disbelief as the beast actually _stepped back _from Cal and glanced almost hesitantly at her.

"That's more like it." Cal said.

Skye frowned, something was off. That didn't seem like the beast's normal movements, or actions. Something was definitely off. And one little thought sparked in her terrified mind. What if… What if it _wasn't _the beast. What if…

Skye took a breath and asked one little question that would stop time itself, "Grant?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight. Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight… Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold, dead eyes stealing the life of mine. I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lie. I won't last long, in this world so wrong."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Dance With the Devil' by Breaking Benjamin. So that happened. Not gonna say anymore. Nope. (And still upset with that winter finale. But see what I did with the names in the beginning? (And I'm also thinking of writing a fic where Ward becomes Hellfire somehow. Will it work?)) Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan._  
><em>


	19. Chapter 19 (That Changes Everything)

**Chapter Nineteen (That Changes Everything)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Wish that we could start over, change everything that went wrong. It's hard stay sober, when you feel like love is gone. We both need forgiveness, and we both need to forgive. The past that hangs above our heads will drive us to the end."<em>

* * *

><p>"Grant?" Skye asked again. "I-Is that you? Please tell me it's you!" she cried.<p>

The beast grunted and turned back to the frightened and angered Cal. Skye's stomach fell, it almost sounded like it acknowledged her. Could he? Skye shook her head. No, it was impossible. Ward was dead, there was no way.

Cal stepped back, "Y-You don't want to do this." he stammered. "Think about it."

The beast snarled and lunged towards the alien, knocking him straight to the ground. Shadows shot out of the ground, locking themselves around Cal's wrists and ankles, acting like shackles. Cal squirmed as he was raised into the air once more, he knew what was going to happen.

"Don't do this!" he screamed.

A tendril of shadow wrapped itself around Cal's mouth, silencing him.

Shadows started to swirl rapidly around the beast's feet, looking as though they were prepared to shoot from the ground and drive through Cal's heart once more. Skye felt sick to her stomach. Yes, she hated her father, but she still wanted to know more about herself and her mother. If Cal was killed, there would be no way of ever finding out again.

Skye shot to her feet, "Don't do it!" she screamed. "Don't kill him! Don't kill him!"

The beast grunted and stopped. The shadows stopped swirling around its feet, but Cal still remained suspended in the air. A harsh cackling sound cut through the air. Was the beast _laughing?_

"What made you think that I was gonna kill him?" a harsh, deep voice asked. "Just wanted to scare him."

Skye's heart skipped a beat, she recognized that snarky tone, despite it being distorted and deep, "G-Grant?" she stammered.

The beast slowly turned its head. Relief filled Skye's heart, she didn't see the face of the monster, see saw the face of Grant Ward. The shadows were all gone off of his head, revealing a caring smile.

Ward was alive, somehow. He still looked pretty weak and out of it, but he was alive.

"G-Grant?! H-How?! You're alive!" Skye exclaimed, her knees buckling. "You were dead!"

Ward frowned, "I was?" he asked.

"Y-You don't remember?" Skye asked.

"No, I remember the island, then blackness, and I was here in a cold room." Ward replied, still keeping his grip on Cal.

"Grant, that was the base's morgue. You were dead. Whatever happened to you killed you. You went through hell for like a week before you finally passed. I saw the medical agents cover you with a white sheet! You were dead!"

"But I'm here now, aren't I?" Ward asked with a small smile. "I'm alive, that's all that matters." He looked back to the struggling Cal, "And the fact that this bastard's trying to kidnap you."

"Ward, don't kill him." Skye said. "We can get him in a Vault, I have so much to ask him. I'll find Coulson."

Ward's face fell, "No, anyone but him!" he exclaimed.

"Ward, he won't hurt you." Skye said softly. "You should've seen him right after you died, he was a mess. I wouldn't think that your death would have affected him like that, but it did. And the entire team as well. They all watched you deteriorate into madness and then die like that. It hurt all of them, even after everything that you had done."

"D-Did I do anything. l-like this?" Ward stammered, looking down at his half-monstrous form.

"We'll talk about that later." Skye said softly. "We've got to deal with him first. I promise, we'll talk. And no one will hurt you."

Ward hesitated, "A-Are you sure?" she stammered.

"I'm sure." Skye looked towards the door, "I'll go find Coulson and the others to get my, um, dad. You just make sure he doesn't go anywhere again. Good?" she asked with a small smile.

Ward gulped, "Good." he returned the smile.

"I promise, nothing will happen to you."

* * *

><p>"<em>All the things we should have done. All the times I tried to run from you."<em>

* * *

><p>"Coulson!" Skye yelled. "Coulson!"<p>

Coulson stopped dead in his tracks along with May, Bobbi, and Hunter. He spun around, "Skye! You're ok! We couldn't find you!"

"I had a, uh, problem." Skye pointed over her shoulder, "And its that way."

Hunter raised an eyebrow, "What is is?"

"My father."

"What?" Coulson asked. "I thought the monster killed him."

"Well, he's alive and, uh, I've got him subdued, somehow." Skye said, panicky. "But not for long."

"Where is he?" May asked.

"That way, in one of the storage rooms." Skye replied. "We've got to get him before he disappears again."

"Lead the way." Bobbi said.

The three agents followed Skye to the storage room where Cal was 'tied' up. Skye opened the door, hoping that they wouldn't suddenly fire at Ward. But nothing happened. As they went in and surrounded Cal, Ward was nowhere to be seen, he had disappeared.

"This is him?" Hunter asked. "This is your mysterious father?"

"Yep."

"What's with the eye?"

"I don't know."

Coulson frowned, looking at what had Cal strung up, "Skye, this isn't rope. It's the same material that killed Whitehall. The material from the monster." He looked to the other agents, "The monster is still here."

Skye stomach dropped, of course they would say that. But Ward had left, most likely for his safety. Was he still even on the base?

Coulson took a quick breath, "Get him, now. And take him quickly to one of the Vaults." he ordered. "And get the base on high alert. The beast is back, and it's somewhere on the base."

Skye stood frozen as the four agents collected her father and took him to the Vaults. They were once again hunting the monster, but this time the monster wasn't the monster. It was Ward as far as Skye could tell. He was completely himself and he was in danger somewhere on the base. She quietly hoped that everything would be resolved soon.

* * *

><p>"<em>If I fall from the ledge, I don't wanna die with regrets. I see the ground coming, I'm not gonna run anymore. I can make my amends. I swear I won't fail you again. I was ready to die till I saw you suffering. And that changes everything."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'That Changes Everything' by 12 Stones. Ward is alive! Cal is captured! (I know Cal isn't a Kree, but he is just for this story.) But Coulson thinks the beast is back to kill him, can Ward show himself to them without getting killed? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	20. Chapter 20 (Meant To Live)

**Chapter Twenty (Meant To Live)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Fumbling his confidence and wondering why the world has passed him by. Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments and failed attempts to fly, fly."<em>

* * *

><p>Skye slipped off into the depths of the Playground as it started to go into lockdown once again. She didn't know how to tell Coulson that Ward was alive and seemed to be completely in control. And Coulson had started to shutdown the base and order agents to hunt the beast before she had the chance to say anything.<p>

She had to say something, she didn't want Ward getting killed again.

Skye started to head back to Coulson's office when a quiet, scared voice stopped her.

"They're hunting me, aren't they?"

Skye spun around to see Ward standing in the corner, half hidden by darkness. He stepped out towards Skye. He was his human self this time, fully clothed in normal clothes somehow. Last time Skye had really seen him, he was in a hospital gown, dead. Skye decided now wasn't the time to ask him where he got the clothes.

Skye shook her head softly, "Grant, they still think you're dead." she said. "They're hunting the monster. Not you."

Ward shuffled his feet and looked down, "I can't show myself to them, not now, not ever. I should be dead. How am I still alive?" he asked.

"I-I don't know, Grant." Skye said. "You did die, you were dead for two days. Somehow, something brought you back. Either it was your Inhuman side, or, or it was something else."

"They'll shoot me if I come out of nowhere." Ward mumbled.

"Not if I'm with you." Skye stated. "The base may be on high alert right now, but if I'm with you and you stay your human self, you'll be alright. They'll probably be scared, but they'll be relieved that you're alive, hopefully."

"Yeah, hopefully." Ward grumbled. "The only reason why they showed me pity is because I was sick and dying, nothing more. Now they'll probably want my head again. Coulson will have me thrown straight back into the freaking Vault."

"And I'll make sure he won't do that." Skye said. "I think you've had enough torture to last a lifetime. You've already died once, I think you're good. And you've saved me twice from my psychotic father. I'll vouch for you."

Ward looked up at Skye, his eyes still weak and glassed over. He still had a long way to go until he was back to normal health. "Really?" he asked. "You'll do that for a demon like me?"

"Grant, you're not a demon. It is, not you. And everything is in the past. Hopefully Coulson will let you start over now." Skye responded. "But now, you're not a demon. I don't see you that way now."

Ward gave Skye a soft, weak smile, "I-I hope so."

Skye held her hand out to Ward, "Come on, we'll find Coulson. I promise nothing is going to happen to you."

* * *

><p>"<em>We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside, somewhere we live inside. We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside."<em>

* * *

><p>Coulson stood in his office, talking with May, "This cannot be happening again." he said. "I thought that the monster died along with Ward, how is it back?"<p>

"He did say something about the monster possibly taking over his body once he was gone." May responded. "It's probably using his corpse as a vessel."

Coulson shivered, "That's just sick." he stated. "It's a parasite, using the body of a dead man to get around. Wouldn't think that Ward would turn out this way. I know that he was a monster figuratively and literally, but not this way."

"Hopefully we can deal with this monster once and for all." May said. "And no one else will get hurt."

"Uh, Coulson?"

May and Coulson turned to see Skye walk into the room, a strange expression on her face.

Coulson frowned, "Skye, what's wrong? Did someone get attacked?" he asked frantically.

Skye shook her head, "No, it's far from that." she said.

May raised an eyebrow, "Far from that? What do you mean?"

"I-I'll show you, if you promise not to shoot him." Skye said softly.

Coulson's face fell, "Him?" he asked. "Skye, what the hell are you talking about?"

Skye gulped and nodded towards the doorway. Just then, a figure walked in. Both May's and Coulson's stomachs dropped. The body of a ghost stood just inside of the office.

"W-Ward?!" Coulson exclaimed, his face as white as snow. "H-How?!"  
>Ward gave a small, meek smile, "I-I don't know, so don't ask me." he said.<p>

May turned to Skye, "Skye, are you sure that this is him?" she asked.

"May," Ward answered for Skye. "It's me, I promise. It's 100 % me." he said.

"Ward, you were dead for two days. Your body was in the morgue, getting ready for burial. And, and now you're here." Coulson said in disbelief.

"Coulson, I don't know. Honestly, I don't. I remember the island, then various things in broken patches, then blackness. Then I woke up, completely naked, in that morgue or whatever. And I heard Skye screaming."

"So wait, Skye's father being captured was all you?" May asked. "No monster?"

Ward shook his head, "Just me. I have basic control over my powers now somehow. I protected Skye and bounded up her father."

Coulson turned to Skye, "Skye, why didn't you tell me that it was Ward?" he asked. "I had to put the base into lockdown."

"I-I didn't know how to tell you that he was alive." Skye stammered. "I didn't. And honestly, I was frozen. I didn't know what to do. It's hard when someone you saw die suddenly comes back to life out of freaking nowhere."

Coulson sighed, "Guess the base is clear." he said. "Need to go tell Hunter, Morse, Trip, Mack, and Fitzsimmons that we're good. And that there is a whole lot of explaining to do now." He looked at Ward, "And you're gonna do it. I'm not gonna try to explain to them how you suddenly came back to life. And besides, they need a good shock every once in a while. It'll be a nice surprise for them to see you come out of nowhere."

Ward raised an eyebrow, looking at Skye. 'What's wrong with him?' he mouthed.

Skye shrugged in response.

Coulson sighed and walked past Ward, "Nice to see that you're ok." he said. "We'll discuss what I'm gonna do with you later. There's other things to clear up at the moment."

Coulson disappeared out of the room. May followed him and nodded briefly at Ward.

Ward gulped before following Skye out of the room. This was the moment he was most afraid of. The moment when Coulson decided either to let him go or throw him straight back into the Vault. And, honestly, Ward was extremely afraid.

* * *

><p>"<em>Dreaming about providence and whether mice or men have second tries. May we've been livin' with our eyes half open. Maybe we're bent and broken, broken."<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Meant to Live' by Switchfoot. So Coulson and May find out that Ward's alive and pretty much well. And the team's reactions are to come. (Sorry if the story is getting kind of boring. There's only like two or three chapters left and I really don't know what to write.) Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	21. Chapter 21 (Best is Yet to Come)

**Chapter Twenty-One (Best is Yet to Come)**

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><p>"<em>Afraid it won't come 'round again. Afraid to move on. Wishing I could go back when everything was easier and meaningful to me. Wanting all we left behind, like it's the answer. An hour glass we can't rewind. Holding back the life that I've denied for so long."<em>

* * *

><p>Coulson eventually got the entire base settled. It took a while for the team to really believe that there was no threat to the base and that they would all be okay. Of course, they asked about the beast. But all Coulson said was that it had disappeared and that there was no sign of it whatsoever.<p>

He told them to wait in the common room, for there was something really important that he had to tell them. It was just that he had to do something real quick. And that something was to go and get Ward and bring him back to the common room.

Coulson led Ward and Skye towards the common room, emotions high. Ward didn't know what on Earth could possibly happen once he stepped into that room. Either everyone would faint, or her would get shot. He feared the latter.

Coulson stopped right outside of the common room, "Wait here for just a second, Ward." he said quietly. "I want to take this slowly. Very slowly."

Ward gulped and nodded briefly. He held his breath as Coulson stepped inside of the room.

"So what do you want?" a British voice asked in annoyance. Ward figured that was Hunter. "You gonna keep us waiting all day?"

"No, I am not." Coulson stated. "Something, well, important has come up. Something that everyone needs to see. It's something that's not going to be taken lightly, I fear. I ask that everyone stays calm."

Triplett raised an eyebrow, "What's going on?" he asked.

"Yeah, Coulson, sounds like someone is dying again. Or we've got another prisoner on the base." Bobbi added in.

"Please tell me no one's dying!" Fitz exclaimed.

Coulson shook his head, "Actually, it's far from that." he said. "Excuse me." He stuck his head out the doorway briefly as the team exchanged nervous glances with one another.

Coulson's head reappeared, and so did two other people. Skye, and one person that made all of their stomachs freeze up. Ward.

They all stood to their feet quickly.

"What the bloody hell?!" Hunter exclaimed. "What?! How?!"

Simmons and Triplett looked and each other and then to Ward, "How?" Simmons asked. "Ward, I watched you die. H-How are you here?"

Ward shrugged, "I really don't know." he said quietly. "I don't remember much."

"What do you mean?" Mack asked.

"I remember the island, then random patches, then nothing." Ward responded. "It's all a blur. Then I woke up in the morgue, completely naked. Then I heard Skye scream."

Fitz frowned, "So you were the one that 'tied up' her father?" he asked. "It wasn't the monster."

Ward nodded, "Somehow, I have basic control over my abilities. I was able to protect her and deal with him. Then I ran off, because I was afraid of what was going to happen to me next. I didn't know what to do."

"But it's you." Simmons said. "Totally you. There's nothing else?"

Ward shrugged once more, "I guess not. I feel like myself. Other than that I'm really tired and don't feel that well."

The team exchanged glances once more, still unsure to what to say to the man who was pretty much back from the dead.

"Well, you were dead for two days." Simmons continued. "You should expect that."

"I'm still confused." Bobbi said.

"Yeah, me too." Mack added in.

Skye took a breath, "Look, I really don't know what really happened." she said. "But he's alive and pretty much well. Let's just look at that."

Coulson nodded, looked briefly at May, and then to Ward and Skye, "Skye, if you will, May and I need to talk to the team about something. Can you take Ward somewhere else for the time being?" he asked. "It's about him. Don't want him being in here. I'll let you know when you can come back."

Skye nodded and started to pull on Ward's arm, "Come on big guy, let's get something to eat."

"Fine." Ward muttered, following her out of the room.

Coulson turned back to the team, whose mouths were all still agape.

"How?" Hunter asked again.

"I don't know." Coulson said. "But I've been thinking. And I talked with May briefly about this. I've been thinking about letting Ward stay."

"What?!" they all exclaimed.

"No offense, sir." Simmons said. "But he's dangerous and he's still considered a criminal. He tried to kill us. He probably should be locked up still, even for just a little while."

"I think he's gotten enough punishment with his brush with death." Coulson said. "I know he still may be dangerous with whatever is inside of him, but we can keep an eye on him. And if the time comes, we'll deal with him. But I honestly think he really wants to help.

He wanted to help when he got slapped with that curse of a monster. Then he wasn't able to. But Whitehall was taken down, even though he's dead. And Ward did protect Skye twice from being kidnapped by her own father. And now her father is in our custody, and apparently he knows a great deal about the island. Ward's helped us, even if it wasn't in the greatest way. Let's just give him one, small chance. If he blows it, he's back in the Vault."

The team once again exchanged hesitant glance with one another. They weren't sure of what to say. They didn't know how to feel towards Coulson's decision.

"I guess I'm fine with it." Fitz finally muttered. "As long as he doesn't try to, um, hurt us again."

"Yeah, that." Hunter and Triplett both said.

"Three yes's." Coulson said. "Bobbi?"

"I guess, as long as he helps."

"Simmons?"

"Just this one time."

"Mack?"

"Whatever they say, I really don't know the guy from other than what you've told me."

"May?"

"I really don't care as long as he doesn't stab us in the back again."

"And I already know that Skye will say yes." Coulson said. 'Good, seems like everyone is on board. I know it'll be a long road, but we'll all watch him. I just hope that I won't regret this decision."

* * *

><p>"<em>Can I find my way to you? And after all that we've been through. And after all we left in pieces, I still believe that our lives have just begun. Cause now the past can be outrun. And I know you are the reason. I still believe the best is yet to come."<em>

* * *

><p>Coulson found Skye and Ward in the kitchen area eating.<p>

"You know, this is the first real food I've had in over a week." Ward said, eating a sandwich. "I don't think that I really even ate during everything."

"I can make you another sandwich if you want." Skye said.

Ward shook his head, "No, I don't think that I need to eat too much. Not right now." He noticed Coulson in the room and stood, "Sir, what's up?" he asked.

"I have a proposition for you." Coulson said, coming over.

"Like what?" Ward asked.

"Well, the team and I talked. And they hesitantly agreed to my decision to let you stay here at the base."

"Hesitantly?"

"They said as long as you don't hurt them again." Coulson replied. "And if everyone agrees to keep an eye on you and your powers for a little while. But they all pretty much said yes. So, how about it? Will you stay?" he asked.

Ward took a breath and looked to Skye, who was giving him a warm smile. He looked back to Coulson, "I guess so, sir. I don't have anywhere else to go and I'm in no shape to be leaving for a long while. I have nothing else to do."

Coulson smiled, "Good. If you mess up, even once, you know what will happen." he said. "Do you understand? I'll tell you my rules for you later. Don't make me regret this decision."

"I promise I won't, sir." Ward replied with a nod.

Coulson held his hand out to Ward, "Good. Then let me be the first one to say welcome back."

Ward shook Coulson's hand, "Thank you, sir."

* * *

><p>"<em>The best is yet to come…"<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Best is Yet to Come' by Red. So the team finds that Ward's alive is Ward's to stay at the base, conditionally. One heartfelt chapter left! It's been one hell of a ride! Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	22. Chapter 22 (Home)

**Chapter Twenty-Two (Home)**

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><p>"<em>I still remember that day in December when I turned my back and ran away. Flames of a passion replaced by an ember, growing slowly dimmer everyday. And I still remember that foolish endeavor. Holds in needless pain and suffering, falling apart while avoiding surrender. I've been led astray."<em>

* * *

><p>(About a Year Later)<p>

It had been a year since the Attilan incidents. And it had also been a year since any serious incident as well. Everything had been pretty much calm. Coulson had found nothing that could really help his search for the temple at Attilan, mostly because everything was too destroyed to even be searched.

Skye's father had been of great use for information about the Diviner and the Inhumans. Unfortunately, he had somehow escaped a few months ago and hadn't been seen since. But Coulson had gotten plenty of information from him.

And Ward, he had been pretty much fully integrated back to the team. Despite the team's weariness around him. He had pretty much gained full control of his abilities, but had a few small incidents that were able to be taken care of with ease.

Everything had pretty much fallen back into place like it was before the Hydra uprising, despite there being four new members to the team and Ward not being fully human.

Ward stepped sleepily out of his sleeping quarters about six in the morning, pulling on his leather jacket. He headed towards the kitchen area to grab himself a small breakfast. He just pulled the refrigerator open when he heard something shuffle behind him. He spun around, milk carton in hand.

Skye stood by the table, hands up, "Whoa, watch out there, Robot. You don't want to kill anyone with a carton of milk." she said.

Ward frowned and looked to the milk carton in his hand and placed it back into the fridge, "Skye, what are you even doing up?" he asked. "You usually don't get up for another hour or so."

Skye smiled softly, coming over, "I couldn't sleep. I was already awake and heard you shuffling around. You're not exactly that quiet in the morning, you know."

Ward rolled his eyes, "Cause I just got out of bed." he said. "Why should I be quiet? You and Fitzsimmons are like the only ones not up. Everyone else is already wide awake. Bobbi and Hunter are probably in the gym along with Triplett, Mack's probably working on something in the garage. And Coulson and May are probably looking for our next mission."

Skye playfully nudged him, "Unlike you, I appreciate all the sleep I can get. I can't just sleep like four hours and be good. I've got to have at least a full eight hours."

"Just so you know, I slept about seven hours." Ward retorted.

"Cause you were in the gym to about ten last night fooling with your mystical abilities."

Ward sighed, "Do you want them getting out of control again?" he asked. "Remember about four months ago when I almost took Hunter's head off?"

"That was his fault." Skye responded. "He was asking for it. He shouldn't have been mocking you like that during your training."

"That is true." Ward said. "Now, Skye, can I get back to trying to get me something to eat?" he asked. "We can talk while we eat. I don't want to be standing around forever waiting to eat something. I'm starving."

Skye rolled her eyes, "Fine, but you're eating more than a banana today. You've got to have more in your body than that."

"Fine."

The two then made themselves a small breakfast, ate it quickly without saying much to one another, and then left for the common room of the base.

As the two walked into the common room, Hunter looked up from the couch he was sitting on with Bobbi, "Oi, look, it's the two lovebirds!" he exclaimed.

Ward shot him an evil glare, "Watch yourself Lance. Remember last time?" he growled slightly.

Hunter threw up his hands, "Only trying to make a joke, mate." he said. "Not gonna harm ya."

"Lance, you've should've learned to stop joking around about several years ago." Bobbi said. "You're really gonna get hurt one of these days because you were fooling around."

"Whatever." Hunter grumbled.

Ward rolled his eyes and sat down on the adjacent couch along with Skye. They sat in complete silence until Fitzsimmons both strolled into the room.

Fitz looked to Ward then to Hunter, "Coulson wants you both for some reason." he said.

Ward raised an eyebrow, "Why? It's seven in the morning." he questioned.

Fitz shrugged, "I dunno. I guess for mission stuff."

Simmons rolled her eyes, "He said it was for a mission briefing. Trip's gonna be there too." she said.

Hunter gave Ward a disgusted look, "He wants me working with Halloween over there?" he asked, pointing at Ward. "There's no way."

"Don't call me Halloween!" Ward exclaimed.

"What else am I supposed to call you? Black hole? Blacky? Evil demon from the pit? No wait, that's Bobbi."

Bobbi elbowed him in the side. "Get it together, Lance." he stated harshly. "Just go and see what Coulson wants. Don't make jokes now."

"Fine." Hunter grumbled, getting up from his seat. He looked over to Ward, "Come on mate, I'm not gonna hurt you."

A muscle twitched in Ward's face, "Yeah, but I might." he said under his breath, getting up.

"Grant, keep your cool, please." Skye said. "It's just Hunter."

"That's bad enough!"

"I'm not that bad!" Hunter exclaimed.

"Yes you are!" Bobbi added in.

Fitzsimmons exchanged glances with one another.

"Uh, Coulson wants you now." Fitz added in quietly.

Bobbi rolled her eyes at the tension between the two men, both who were glaring at one another. She pulled Hunter away, "Come on, Lance. Let's go before you anger the monster."

Ward took a breath and looked back at Skye. She gave him a soft smile and a thumbs up, "Don't worry, it's just Hunter. He likes to joke around. You'll be fine, don't let him get underneath your skin like last time. You'll be fine."

Ward smiled softly back, "Fine, if you say so." he said, leaning over and kissing Skye on the head. "I guess I'll be back soon, if I don't end up killing Hunter."

"You'll be fine."

"Yeah, you will." Fitz agreed.

"Yep." Simmons added in.

Ward sighed and turned around, headed out of the room. He finally seemed to be part of the team after a long, hard year. And he finally seemed to have a home. But would it ever be a relaxed home? Ward didn't think so.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm running home, back to your arms where I belong. I won't let go this time."<em>

* * *

><p><em>-END-<em>

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><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em> **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Home' by Fades Away. End of story! Hoped that you enjoyed! This was just a fun chapter. And I do imagine Ward not really liking Hunter. But still, I hoped that you enjoyed! Please review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


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